Antibody response following rubella immunization analyzed by HLA types

Possible association between HLA antigens and antibody response to rubella vaccine was examined in 71 seronegative adult females, aged from 18 to 23, immunized with QEF vaccine. High responders (HAI antibody titer greater than or equal to 1:32) with HLA-B15 were significantly higher in frequency than those without HLA-B15 (p < 0.05). On the other hand, subjects with HLA-A9 had a tendency toward low immune responsiveness, including all the three non-responders. These results suggest that the antibody response to rubella vaccine may be influenced by the host-genetic factors relating to HLA antigens.