title: Cellular and Humoral Responses to a Second Dose of Herpes Zoster Vaccine Administered 10 Years After the First Dose Among Older Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Herpes zoster vaccine (ZV) was administered as a second dose to 200 participants ≥ 70 years old who had received a dose of ZV ≥ 10 years previously (NCT01245751).
  
  
  METHODS
  Varicella zoster virus (VZV) antibody titers (measured by a VZV glycoprotein-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [gpELISA]) and levels of interferon γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin 2 (IL-2; markers of VZV-specific cell-mediated immunity [CMI], measured by means of ELISPOT analysis) in individuals aged ≥ 70 years who received a booster dose of ZV were compared to responses of 100 participants aged 50-59 years, 100 aged 60-69 years, and 200 aged ≥ 70 years who received their first dose of ZV. The study was powered to demonstrate noninferiority of the VZV antibody response at 6 weeks in the booster-dose group, compared with the age-matched first-dose group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibody responses were similar at baseline and after vaccination across all age and treatment groups. Both baseline and postvaccination VZV-specific CMI were lower in the older age groups. Peak gpELISA titers and their fold rise from baseline generally correlated with higher baseline and postvaccination VZV-specific CMI. IFN-γ and IL-2 results for subjects ≥ 70 years old were significantly higher at baseline and after vaccination in the booster-dose group, compared with the first-dose group, indicating that a residual effect of ZV on VZV-specific CMI persisted for ≥ 10 years and was enhanced by the booster dose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support further investigation of ZV administration in early versus later age and of booster doses for elderly individuals at an appropriate interval after initial immunization against HZ.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT01245751.
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Myron J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Duke University and Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Schmader
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Williams-Diaz
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zerbe
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Canniff
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Yupanqui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Caldas
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Shu-Chih
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Janie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parrino
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Popmihajlov
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weinberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine
keywords: VZV antibodies; VZV cell-mediated immunity (CMI); herpes zoster vaccine