Decline in Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV)–Specific Cell-Mediated Immunity with Increasing Age and Boosting with a High-Dose VZV Vaccine

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 188; no. 9; pp. 1336 - 1344
• Main Authors: Levin, Myron J., Smith, Jeffrey G., Kaufhold, Robin M., Barber, Debra, Hayward, Anthony R., Chan, Christina Y., Chan, Ivan S. F., Li, David J. J., Wang, William, Keller, Paul M., Shaw, Alan, Silber, Jeffrey L., Schlienger, Katia, Chalikonda, Ira, Vessey, S. J. R., Caulfield, Michael J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.11.2003; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antigens; Antigens, Viral - immunology; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Division - immunology; Chickenpox vaccine; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geometric mean; Herpes zoster; Herpes Zoster - immunology; Herpes Zoster - prevention & control; Herpesvirus 3, Human - immunology; Human herpesvirus 3; Humans; Immunity, Cellular - immunology; Immunization, Secondary; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Infectious diseases; Interferon-gamma - immunology; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Older adults; Sex Factors; T lymphocytes; Th1 Cells - immunology; Vaccination; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Vaccines, Attenuated - immunology; Varicella zoster encephalitis; Varicella-zoster virus; Viral Vaccines - immunology; Virology; Viruses; Virus; Infection; Varicella zoster virus; Microbiology; Herpesviridae; Alphaherpesvirinae; Cellular immunity; Vaccine; Age
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/379048

The safety and immunogenecity of a booster dose of live attenuated varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccine was evaluated in 196 healthy subjects, ⩾60 years old, who had already received a VZV vaccine >5 years before. This repeat booster dose was well tolerated. Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) to VZV was measured by an interferon-γ (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot-forming cell (ELISPOT) assay and a limiting dilution responder cell frequency (RCF) assay. Prevaccination responses decreased as a function of increasing age but were detectable in all subjects by use of the IFN-γ ELISPOT assay. In most subjects, VZV-specific CMI was increased at 6 weeks postvaccination. The magnitude of the vaccine-induced IFN-γ ELISPOT response was inversely related to prevaccination values. Although there was a significant correlation between the IFN-γ ELISPOT and RCF assays, the ELISPOT assay had greater sensitivity and a wider dynamic range. A live attenuated VZV vaccine is safe and immunogenic in an elderly population, and the vaccine-induced immunity may be monitored by the IFN-γ ELISPOT assay