The immunogenicity of the Oka/Merck varicella vaccine in relation to infectious varicella-zoster virus and relative viral antigen content

J Infect Dis. 1990 Nov;162(5):1049-54. doi: 10.1093/infdis/162.5.1049.

Abstract

Humoral and cellular immune responses to whole varicella-zoster virus (VZV) antigen and to the VZV glycoprotein I (gpI) and immediate early protein (IE-62) were compared in two populations of healthy children who received different lots of the Oka/Merck varicella vaccine. Children who were given vaccine containing 950 pfu with a relative antigen content of 1.0 (lot C-K472) per dose, in an earlier protocol, had an initial seroconversion rate of 87% but VZV cell-mediated immunity was diminished at 8 weeks and 1 year after immunization. At 1 year, the percentage of vaccinees with T lymphocyte proliferation to whole VZV, gpI, or IE-62 was 98%, 77%, and 83% for recipients of the 1140 pfu/1.7 relative antigen or 1145 pfu/1.6 relative antigen content vaccines compared with 43%, 40%, and 40% among those given the vaccine with 950 pfu/1.0 relative antigen content. Since the more immunogenic vaccines contained 1.5-2.0 times more viral antigen and only 20% more infectious virus, viral antigen content may affect the immunogenicity of the varicella vaccine, particularly as reflected in the cell-mediated immune response. The current vaccine preparations elicited cellular and humoral immune responses to whole VZV antigen and memory T lymphocytes specific for major viral proteins that were detectable 1 year after immunization.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral / biosynthesis*
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • Chickenpox Vaccine
  • Child
  • Herpesvirus 3, Human / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Phosphoproteins / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Viral Envelope Proteins*
  • Viral Proteins / immunology
  • Viral Vaccines / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Chickenpox Vaccine
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • Viral Proteins
  • Viral Vaccines
  • glycoprotein E, varicella-zoster virus