Zidovudine improves response to pneumococcal vaccine among persons with AIDS and AIDS-related complex

Antibody responses to 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine were studied in 38 individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), including 6 with asymptomatic infection, 24 with AIDS or AIDS-related complex (ARC) receiving treatment with zidovudine, and 8 untreated AIDS/ARC patients. Antibody responses were significantly higher for asymptomatic persons (aggregate geometric mean, 972 ng of antibody nitrogen (AbN)/ml; P less than .001) and AIDS/ARC patients receiving a median of 12 weeks (range, 4-54) of zidovudine therapy (mean, 369 ng of AbN/ml; P less than .001) when compared with untreated AIDS/ARC patients. Antibody responses among zidovudine-treated AIDS/ARC patients were independent of the dose (mean, 629.2 mg/day; range, 100-1200 mg) or duration of zidovudine therapy. For zidovudine-treated AIDS/ARC patients, persistence of an aggregate antibody response 8 months after vaccination was associated with survival at 14 months after vaccination, whereas waning of response was not. Pneumococcal vaccine should be administered as early as possible in the course of HIV infection. Immunization should be delayed for at least 4 weeks for AIDS/ARC patients initiating zidovudine therapy.