title: Development of varicella vaccine.
abstract: The Oka strain of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) was first isolated from vesicles of an otherwise healthy 3-year-old boy with typical varicella. The virus was passaged 11 times in human embryonic lung fibroblasts at 34 degrees C and 12 times in guinea pig embryo fibroblasts (GPEFs) at 37 degrees C. GPEFs were the only nonprimate cells tested in which some degree of viral replication occurred. The resultant virus was temperature sensitive and showed host dependency, measured as better replication in GPEFs than that shown by the parental virus. The passaged virus was used as a candidate varicella vaccine and proved safe and effective for healthy and immunocompromised children. During the follow-up of vaccinated children with acute lymphocytic leukemia, the incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) was significantly lower among children who did not have a rash after vaccination, compared with those who had a rash caused by VZV (6 [2.3%] of 260 vs. 12 [17.1%] of 70, respectively). Because of the pathogenesis of VZV, the incidence of latency and of HZ is predicted to be lower among vaccine recipients than among individuals who have experienced varicella.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan. mtakahashi@mail.biken.or.jp
authors.forename: Michiaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yoshizo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Terumasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamanishi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017735:Virus Latency
chemical_list: D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine