title: Prevalence of anti-varicella-zoster virus antibodies in French infants under 15 months of age.
abstract: Varicella is a widespread disease of childhood resulting from primary infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The objective of this study was to determine the kinetics of the decline of maternal anti-VZV antibodies in French infants between birth and the age of 15 months in order to estimate the duration of passively acquired maternal anti-VZV immunoglobulin G (IgG). This prospective multicenter study was conducted between October 2005 and January 2007 in the pediatric wards and/or pediatric emergency units of seven French hospitals scattered throughout the country. The level of anti-VZV IgG antibodies in serum was measured by a time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA) (the threshold considered positive is 150 mIU/ml). A total of 345 infants were included. Seventy-seven percent of mothers reported a history of varicella. A rapid decline in the prevalence of anti-VZV antibodies was observed during the first few months of life, with the mean antibody titer decreasing from 536 mIU/ml at birth and through 1 month to below the 150-mIU/ml threshold at 3 to 4 months. The half-life of passively acquired maternal immunoglobulins was around 6 weeks. Based on a large number of subjects, this study clearly demonstrated, for the first time in France, high levels of passively acquired maternal antibodies during the neonatal period, and it allowed us to estimate the duration of passively acquired maternal anti-VZV IgG in French infants. After 4 to 5 months, infants had very low levels of maternal anti-VZV IgG, below the 150-mIU/ml cutoff of the VZV IgG TRFIA.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Pôle Mère-Femme-Enfant, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Rouen, France. didier.pinquier@chu-rouen.fr
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pinquier
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gagneur
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balu
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brissaud
authors.forename: Christèle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gras Le Guen
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hau-Rainsard
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mory
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Picherot
authors.forename: Loïc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Pontual
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Stephan
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maple
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breuer
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aubert
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caulin
authors.forename: Claudine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sana
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pradat
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soubeyrand
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reinert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006207:Half-Life; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G