title: Impaired cellular immune response to tetanus toxoid but not to cytomegalovirus in effectively HAART-treated HIV-infected children.
abstract: Despite of highly active antiretroviral therapy, the response to vaccines in HIV-infected children is poor and short-lived, probably due to a defect in cellular immune responses. We compared the cellular immune response (assessed in terms of IFN-γ production) to tetanus toxoid and to cytomegalovirus in a series of 13 HIV-perinatally-infected children and adolescents with optimal immunovirological response to first line antiretroviral therapy, implemented during chronic infection. A stronger cellular response to cytomegalovirus (11 out of 13 patients) was observed, as compared to tetanus toxoid (1 out of 13; p=0.003). These results suggest that the repeated exposition to CMV, as opposed to the past exposition to TT, is able to maintain an effective antigen-specific immune response in stable HIV-infected pediatric patients and strengthen current recommendations on immunization practices in these children.
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alsina
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noguera-Julian
authors.forename: Clàudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fortuny
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D002648:Child; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D058501:Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D013745:Tetanus Toxoid