Varicella-zoster virus-specific immune responses in elderly recipients of a herpes zoster vaccine.
Title | Varicella-zoster virus-specific immune responses in elderly recipients of a herpes zoster vaccine. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2008 |
Authors | Levin MJ, Oxman MN, Zhang JH, Johnson GR, Stanley H, Hayward AR, Caulfield MJ, Irwin MR, Smith JG, Clair J, Chan ISF, Williams H, Harbecke R, Marchese R, Straus SE, Gershon A, Weinberg A |
Corporate Authors | Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program Shingles Prevention Study Investigators |
Journal | J Infect Dis |
Volume | 197 |
Issue | 6 |
Pagination | 825-35 |
Date Published | 2008 Mar 15 |
ISSN | 0022-1899 |
Keywords | Age Factors, Aged, Antibodies, Viral, Double-Blind Method, Female, Herpes Zoster, Herpes Zoster Vaccine, Herpesvirus 3, Human, Humans, Immunity, Cellular, Male, Vaccines, Attenuated |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that involved 38,546 subjects > or =60 years old demonstrated efficacy of a high-potency live-attenuated Oka/Merck varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccine. The trial included an immunology substudy to determine the relationship of VZV-specific immune responses to vaccination and clinical outcome. METHODS: The immunology substudy enrolled 1395 subjects at 2 sites where blood samples obtained prior to vaccination, at 6 weeks after vaccination, and at 1, 2, and 3 years thereafter were tested for VZV-specific cell-mediated immunity (VZV-CMI) by gamma-interferon ELISPOT and responder cell frequency assays and for VZV antibody by glycoprotein ELISA. RESULTS: VZV-CMI and VZV antibodies were significantly increased in vaccine recipients at 6 weeks after vaccination. The vaccine-induced increases in VZV-CMI persisted during the 3 years of follow-up, although their magnitude decreased over time. The magnitude of these VZV-specific immune responses was greater in subjects 60-69 years old than in subjects > or =70 years old. CONCLUSIONS: The zoster vaccine induced a significant increase in VZV-CMI and VZV antibody. The magnitude and duration of the boost in VZV-CMI in vaccine recipients and the relationship of this boost to age paralleled the clinical effects of the vaccine observed during the efficacy trial. These findings support the hypothesis that boosting VZV-CMI protects older adults against herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia. |
DOI | 10.1086/528696 |
Alternate Journal | J. Infect. Dis. |
PubMed ID | 18419349 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC4014857 |
Grant List | H12HA00070 / / PHS HHS / United States M01-RR00865 / RR / NCRR NIH HHS / United States N01-HD-3-3345 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States P60 AG10415 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States R01 AG026006-01 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States R01 AG026364 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States R01 AR049840 / AR / NIAMS NIH HHS / United States R01 CA10014152 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States R01 HL079955 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States R01 MH55253 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States R01 NR009228 / NR / NINR NIH HHS / United States T32MH19925 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States U01 AI068632 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States |