title: A community-based survey of varicella-zoster virus-specific immune responses in the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the USA, live attenuated varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccine is licensed for use in people 50 or older, to reduce the incidence and/or severity of herpes zoster. However, this vaccine is not yet available in Japan, and the immunity profile for VZV in older people has not been investigated in detail in Japan.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to conduct a detailed survey about the immunity profile for VZV in older people in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A panel of immunologic tests (skin test, ELISPOT, gpELISA, IAHA and NT) were used to analyze the immunity to VZV in the subjects. And an interview about zoster history was carried out with each of the subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cellular immunity test (skin test and ELISPOT) results declined with increasing age; on the contrary, humoral immunity test (gpELISA, IAHA and NT) results increased with advancing age. In addition, strongly boosted humoral immunity was found in the subjects with zoster history, however relatively small increase was found in cellular immunity test results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) to VZV decreased and humoral immunity increased with increasing age in this population.
authors: Division of Clinical Virology, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
authors: Huamin
authors: H
authors: Tang
authors: Eiko
authors: E
authors: Moriishi
authors: Shigefumi
authors: S
authors: Okamoto
authors: Yoshinobu
authors: Y
authors: Okuno
authors: Hiroyasu
authors: H
authors: Iso
authors: Hideo
authors: H
authors: Asada
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Yamanishi
authors: Yasuko
authors: Y
authors: Mori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D058501:Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay; D005260:Female; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000276:immunology; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012882:Skin Tests