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Development of an IFN-γ ELISpot Assay to Assess Varicella-Zoster Virus-specific Cell-mediated Immunity Following Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation
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Loss of varicella zoster virus antibodies despite detectable cell mediated immunity after vaccination

B Ludwig1, F B Kraus, R Allwinn

  • 1Institute for Medical Virology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596, Frankfurt a.M., Germany.

Infection
|August 10, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) vaccination can lead to loss of antibodies, but cellular immunity persists. Monitoring cell-mediated immunity is crucial for assessing long-term VZV vaccine effectiveness.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Vaccinology
  • Virology

Background:

  • German vaccination committee (STIKO) recommended Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) vaccination for children in 2004.
  • This recommendation increases the likelihood of encountering serologic non-responders or individuals with waning humoral immunity.
  • Understanding immune responses post-VZV vaccination is critical for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a case of VZV vaccinee with undetectable VZV antibodies but a persistent VZV-specific CD4 cellular immune response.
  • To compare VZV-specific CD4 T cell responses in vaccinees with seronegative and seropositive healthy individuals, and patients with VZV disease.
  • To evaluate the long-term immune status after VZV vaccination.

Main Methods:

  • Case study of a VZV vaccinee.
  • Flow cytometry to measure VZV-specific CD4 T cell frequencies.
  • Comparison of immune responses between different study groups (vaccinee, healthy controls, VZV patients).

Main Results:

  • The VZV vaccinee lost detectable VZV antibodies but maintained a measurable VZV-specific CD4 T cell response.
  • VZV-specific CD4 T cell frequencies were significantly lower in seronegative individuals compared to seropositive individuals (p=0.001).
  • Patients with VZV disease exhibited higher VZV-specific CD4 T cell responses than healthy seropositive individuals (p=0.008).

Conclusions:

  • The VZV vaccination recommendation in Germany may increase the number of seronegative vaccinees.
  • Cell-mediated immunity, specifically CD4 T cell response, remains detectable even after antibody loss.
  • Future VZV post-vaccination immunity studies should include assessments of cell-mediated immunity alongside serologic testing.
Abstract

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