A SEARCH FOR PERSISTENT MEASLES, MUMPS, AND RUBELLA VACCINE VIRUS IN CHILDREN WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 INFECTION

Objective: To determine whether live measles, mumps, and rubella vacci ne viruses persist after immunization of immunocompromised children wi th human immunodeficiency virus type I infection. Methods: Ten childre n with symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection who r eceived measles, mumps, and rubella immunizations were studied. Periph eral blood mononuclear cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and plasma were cocultivated with primary African green monkey kidney tissue cul ture cells for detection of measles, mumps, and rubella viruses. Antib ody to measles and mumps was determined by indirect fluorescent antibo dy and rubella was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ch ildren seronegative to measles were revaccinated. Results: Neither mea sles, mumps, nor rubella virus was recovered from peripheral blood mon onuclear cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, or plasma in these child ren. No child experienced symptoms thought to be related to the vaccin es. Humoral immunity after one or two immunizations was detected in 33 % of the children. After vaccination, two of 10 children had IgG to me asles; four of 10, to mumps; and four of 10, to rubella. Conclusions; In spite of an impaired humoral immune response, persistent viremia or infection did not occur after immunization with attenuated measles, m umps, and rubella vaccine viruses. These findings suggest that immunol ogic response to these viruses was sufficient to prevent persistent in fection in these children immunocompromised by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.