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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Cellular immune response of a varicella vaccine following simultaneous DTaP and VZV vaccination.

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Abstract Background : Chickenpox and zoster are an important cause of morbidity among children and adults. The ability of a new, thermostable vaccine to induce varicella–zoster-virus (VZV)-specific humoral and cell mediated immunity when given simultaneously with diphtheria–tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) as a booster dose in the second year of life was investigated. Methods : A new, temperature stable varicella vaccine (OKA-strain, SB-Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium) was given simultaneously with a booster dose of DTaP vaccine. VZV-specific humoral and cell-mediated immunity was studied in the first 27 out of 232 vaccinated children at 16–28 months of age, from blood samples drawn just before and six weeks after vaccination. VZV-specific antibody response, T-cell proliferation, cytokine production and expression of activation markers (CD25, HLADR) on T-cells were analyzed. Results : Vaccination resulted in a significant rise of VZV-specific serum IgG titers and in a strong VZV-specific T-cell response in all vaccinated infants. Analysis of the expression of activation marker revealed activation of both CD4 + -T-helper- and CD8 + -T-cells. Conclusions : The varicella vaccine given simultaneously with DTaP produced strong B- and T-cell responses alike. This is the first report to show that CMI to VZV is conferred to young children by vaccination with a temperature stable VZV vaccine.