Varicella‐Zoster Virus–Specific Immune Responses in Elderly Recipients of a Herpes Zoster Vaccine

• DOI: 10.1086/528696
• Publication Date: 2008-02-26T15:32:13Z
• Authors: M. J. Levin; M. N. Oxman; J. H. Zhang; G. R. Johnson; H. Stanley; A. R. Hayward; M. J. Caulfield; M. R. Irwin; J. G. Smith; J. Clair; I. S. F. Chan; H. Williams; R. Harbecke; R. Marchese; S. E. Straus; A. Gershon; A. Weinberg
• Keywords: Varicella zoster virus; Postherpetic Neuralgia; Shingles; ELISPOT

BackgroundA double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that involved 38,546 subjects ⩾60 years old demonstrated efficacy of a high-potency live-attenuated Oka/Merck varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccine. The included an immunology substudy to determine the relationship VZV-specific immune responses vaccination and clinical outcome MethodsThe enrolled 1395 at 2 sites where blood samples obtained prior vaccination, 6 weeks after 1, 2, 3 thereafter were tested for cell-mediated immunity (VZV-CMI) by γ-interferon ELISPOT responder cell frequency assays VZV antibody glycoprotein ELISA ResultsVZV-CMI antibodies significantly increased in vaccine recipients vaccination. vaccine-induced increases VZV-CMI persisted during follow-up, although their magnitude decreased over time. these was greater 60–69 than ⩾70 ConclusionsThe zoster induced significant increase antibody. duration boost this age paralleled effects observed trial. These findings support hypothesis boosting protects older adults against herpes postherpetic neuralgia