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Safety and immunogenicity of live attenuated varicella vaccine in 9-month-old children

G Kanra1, M Ceyhan, E Ozmert

  • 1Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Ankara, Turkey. gkanra@gen.hun.edu.tr

Pediatrics International : Official Journal of the Japan Pediatric Society
|February 24, 2001
PubMed

Insights

This study shows that the live attenuated varicella vaccine (Oka-strain) is safe and effective in 9-month-old infants, demonstrating high seroconversion rates and minimal side effects. This finding supports its use in young children, particularly during varicella outbreaks.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Vaccinology
  • Immunology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of live attenuated varicella vaccine (Oka-strain).
  • Focus on 9-month-old infants as the target population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the safety profile of the varicella vaccine in infants.
  • To determine the immunogenicity of the vaccine in this age group.

Main Methods:

  • 114 infants received a single dose of live attenuated varicella vaccine (Valrix).
  • Adverse events were monitored for 42 days post-vaccination.
  • Varicella antibody levels were measured using indirect immunofluorescence.

Main Results:

  • 47.4% of infants reported mild, transient symptoms; pain at injection site (28.1%) and fever (27.2%) were most common.
  • No serious adverse events were reported; unsolicited symptoms were unrelated to vaccination.
  • 97.1% seroconversion rate in initially seronegative infants, with a geometric mean titer of 30.9.

Conclusions:

  • The varicella vaccine is safe and immunogenic in infants as young as 9 months.
  • This vaccine can be clinically significant for managing varicella outbreaks.
  • Potential benefits highlighted for developing countries with high varicella incidence.
Abstract

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