Live Attenuated Zoster Vaccine Boosts Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV)-Specific Humoral Responses Systemically and at the Cervicovaginal Mucosa of Kenyan VZV-Seropositive Women

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 218; no. 8; pp. 1210 - 1218
• Main Authors: Perciani, Catia T, Sekhon, Manmeet, Hundal, Sabrina, Farah, Bashir, Ostrowski, Mario A, Anzala, A Omu, McKinnon, Lyle R, Jaoko, Walter, MacDonald, Kelly S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press 08.09.2018
• Subjects: Major and Brief Reports
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy320

Attenuated varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a promising vector for recombinant vaccines. Because human immunodeficiencyvirus (HIV) vaccines are believed to require mucosal immunogenicity, we characterized mucosal VZV-specific humoral immunity following VZVOka vaccination. Adult Kenyan VZV-seropositive women (n = 44) received a single dose of the live zoster VZVOka vaccine. The anamnestic responses to the virus were followed longitudinally in both plasma and mucosal secretions using an in-house glycoprotein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and safety and reactogenicity monitored. VZV seroprevalence and baseline responses to the virus were also characterized in our cohorts (n = 288). Besides boosting anti-VZV antibody responses systemically, vaccination also boosted anti-VZV immunity in the cervicovaginal mucosa with a 2.9-fold rise in immunoglobulin G (P < .0001) and 1.6-fold rise in immunoglobulin A (IgA) (P = .004) from the time before immunization and 4 weeks postvaccination. Baseline analysis demonstrated high avidity antibodies at the gastrointestinal and genital mucosa of VZV-seropositive women. Measurement of VZV-specific IgA in saliva is a sensitive tool for detecting prior VZV infection. VZVOka vaccine was safe and immunogenic in VZV-seropositive adult Kenyan women. We provided compelling evidence of VZV ability to induce genital mucosa immunity. NCT02514018.