Immunologic parameters 2 years after high-titer measles immunization in Peruvian children

J Infect Dis. 1993 Nov;168(5):1097-104. doi: 10.1093/infdis/168.5.1097.

Abstract

Immunization with high-titer measles vaccines has been associated with excess mortality in children 2-4 years after vaccination. In this study, immunologic parameters in 64 Peruvian children who had been immunized an average of 27 months earlier with high-titer vaccines were compared with parameters in 76 recipients of low-titer vaccines. Delayed-type hypersensitivity, lymphocyte phenotype distributions by flow cytometry, and lymphoproliferation after phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation were assessed. High-titer recipients had smaller indurations to tetanus, diphtheria, and Proteus (P < .05) antigens, decreased PHA stimulation (P = .04), and a lower percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes (P = .04) than low-titer recipients. After adjustment for sex, concurrent illnesses, and other variables in regression analyses, high-titer recipients had a lower percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes (P = .025) and decreased lymphocyte proliferation to PHA (P = .058). These results may provide a clue to the pathogenesis of delayed excess mortality after high-titer measles vaccination in some developing countries.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Division
  • Child, Preschool
  • Developing Countries
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity, Delayed / etiology
  • Infant
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Measles / epidemiology
  • Measles / immunology
  • Measles / prevention & control*
  • Measles Vaccine / administration & dosage
  • Measles Vaccine / adverse effects
  • Measles Vaccine / immunology*
  • Peru / epidemiology
  • Sex Characteristics
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets
  • Vaccination* / mortality

Substances

  • Measles Vaccine