Longitudinal changes in cell‐mediated immunity after varicella‐zoster virus skin test in the general population; Shozu Herpes Zoster Study: SHEZ study

• Published in: Journal of medical virology Vol. 95; no. 1; pp. e28336 - n/a
• Main Authors: Ikeda, Daisuke, Imano, Hironori, Mori, Yasuko, Asada, Hideo, Yamanishi, Koichi, Okuno, Yoshinobu, Iso, Hiroyasu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.01.2023
• Subjects: Aged; antigen; Antigens; cell‐mediated immunity; Chicken pox; Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; cohort study; Deactivation; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; general population; Herpes Zoster; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Humans; Humoral immunity; Immunity; Immunity, Cellular; Inoculation; Middle Aged; persistence; Population studies; Prospective Studies; skin test; Skin Tests; Vaccines; Varicella; varicella‐zoster virus; Virology; Viruses; varicella-zoster virus; cohort study; herpes zoster; persistence; antigen; general population; skin test; cell-mediated immunity
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28336

Varicella‐zoster virus‐specific cell‐mediated immunity has been associated with the onset and severity of herpes zoster (HZ), and the administration of the HZ vaccine enhanced the immunity. However, limited data is available on the duration of cell‐mediated immunity enhancement by soluble antigen of varicella‐zoster virus (VZV) skin test. A prospective, community‐based cohort study was conducted in Shozu County, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. Repeated VZV skin tests containing inactivated VZV antigen and blood tests were performed on 365 subjects aged 60 years and older at baseline, 1, 2, and 3 years later. The differential immunity indices of VZV over time for cell‐mediated and humoral immunity were evaluated. VZV skin test reaction and ELISpot counts increased significantly at 1, 2, and 3 years later compared to the baseline. However, humoral immunity indices did not change materially over time. Soluble antigen by VZV skin test enhanced VZV‐specific cell‐mediated immunity, and it persisted for at least 1 year. In addition, the inoculation with inactivated antigens every year by VZV skin test continued to enhance VZV‐specific cell‐mediated immunity after 2 and 3 years.