INFLUENCE OF MPR REVACCINATION ON TUBERCULIN AND SENSITIN SKIN REACTIONS IN CHILDREN

Many viral diseases, as well as viral vaccines, have a transient effec t in depressing cell-mediated immunity. The study group consisted of 5 2 children, aged 6.0-6.3 years. Thirty (57%) of them had been revaccin ated against measles, parotitis and rubella (MPR vaccination). In MPR- revaccinated children, the mean skin reaction sizes were 4.7 mm, 4.1 m m, 4.3 mm and 2.1 mm to tuberculin, Mycobacterium avium, M. scrofulace um and M. fortuitum sensitins, respectively. In non-revaccinated child ren (n=22), the respective mean skin reaction sizes were 3.0 mm, 2.8 m m, 2.9 mm and 0.8 mm. The difference between re- and non-revaccinated children was statistically significant with regard to reactions to M. fortuitum sensitin (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the influenc e of viral revaccination is different from natural infection or primar y vaccination. The mechanism of stimulation of cell-mediated immunity- either specific or non-specific-is unknown.