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Published on: September 18, 2013

Vaccination of children during treatment for leukemia

J Rautonen, M A Siimes, U Lundström

    Acta Paediatrica Scandinavica
    |July 1, 1986
    PubMed

    Insights

    Children with leukemia showed lower antibody responses to vaccines (mumps, meningococcal, pneumococcal) compared to healthy children. However, most achieved protective antibody levels, despite unpredictable individual responses.

    Area of Science:

    • Immunology
    • Pediatric Oncology
    • Vaccinology

    Background:

    • Children undergoing maintenance treatment for leukemia often have compromised immune systems.
    • Vaccine efficacy in immunocompromised pediatric populations requires careful evaluation.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To assess the immunogenicity of inactivated mumps, meningococcal (groups A and C), and polyvalent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines in children with leukemia.
    • To compare antibody responses in these patients to those of healthy controls.

    Main Methods:

    • Radioimmunoassay (RIA) for pneumococcal and meningococcal antibodies.
    • Complement fixation, hemolysis-in-gel, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for mumps antibodies.
    • Measurement of antibody concentrations in 41 children with leukemia and comparison with healthy controls.

    Main Results:

    • Antibody responses to all tested vaccines tended to be lower in children with leukemia than in healthy controls.
    • Individual antibody responses were unpredictable and did not correlate with patient age, sex, chemotherapy duration, or prevaccination antibody levels.
    • Despite lower average responses, most patients achieved antibody concentrations considered protective against infection.

    Conclusions:

    • Inactivated vaccines against mumps, meningococcal groups A and C, and pneumococcal polysaccharides can elicit protective antibody levels in children with leukemia.
    • While immune responses may be attenuated and variable, vaccination remains a critical strategy for preventing infectious diseases in this vulnerable group.
    • Further research may explore strategies to optimize vaccine response in pediatric leukemia patients.

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