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High CD4/CD45RO+ and CD8/CD45RO+ frequencies in children with vaccine-modified measles
Michael M Addae1, John K A Tetteh, Naruhiko Ishiwada
1Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-Bu, Ghana.
Background:
Despite availability and wide vaccine coverage, measles infections still occur especially in developing countries. An outbreak of measles occurred among previously immunized older Ghanaian children who had milder clinical symptoms with measles-specific IgG antibodies that could have been attributed to secondary vaccine failure, suggesting that the infection was vaccine-modified measles (VMM).
Methods:
Two-color immunophenotyping of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells was performed at acute, recovery and convalescence phases for 19 VMM patients (mean age 6.2 +/- 3.5 years) using flow cytometry, and compared with that of 20 healthy, sex- and age-matched controls.
Results:
The results showed a significantly higher memory helper (CD4(+)/CD45RO(+)) cell frequency and increased suppressor cell (CD8(+)/CD45R0(+)) frequency in VMM patients compared to healthy controls. There were no complications and all the patients recovered completely.
Conclusions:
These findings show that the mild symptoms in patients with VMM may have correlated with the increase of memory T cells, which is in sharp contrast with previous reports on acute measles infection. This may suggest that the intact immunologic memory cells could have been crucial for the resolution of VMM.
Insights
Vaccine-modified measles (VMM) in children is linked to increased memory T cells, suggesting intact immunologic memory aids recovery. This contrasts with acute measles, highlighting a potential mechanism for milder VMM symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Measles infections persist globally despite widespread vaccination.
- An outbreak of vaccine-modified measles (VMM) occurred in previously immunized Ghanaian children with mild symptoms.
- Secondary vaccine failure was suspected, indicating VMM.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the immunophenotypic profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in VMM patients.
- To compare immune cell populations in VMM patients with healthy controls.
- To understand the immunological basis for mild VMM symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 19 VMM patients and 20 controls were analyzed using two-color immunophenotyping and flow cytometry.
- Samples were collected during acute, recovery, and convalescence phases.
- Cell frequencies, including memory helper (CD4+/CD45RO+) and suppressor (CD8+/CD45R0+) cells, were quantified.
Main Results:
- VMM patients exhibited significantly higher frequencies of memory helper (CD4+/CD45RO+) cells compared to controls.
- Increased suppressor cell (CD8+/CD45R0+) frequency was observed in VMM patients.
- All VMM patients recovered completely without complications.
Conclusions:
- Mild symptoms in VMM may correlate with an increased frequency of memory T cells.
- This finding contrasts with previous reports on acute measles infection.
- Intact immunologic memory cells might be crucial for the resolution of VMM.
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