Varicella vaccination of health-care workers

The objective of this open study was to evaluate the response of non-immune health-care workers to two doses of live attenuated varicella vaccine give n two months apart. One hundred subjects (58 females; aged 17-49 yr, mean 2 2.8 yr) received two doses of varicella vaccine. Blood samples for antibody estimation were taken before vaccination, 2 months after the first dose an d 6 weeks after the second dose. Reactions were recorded daily in diaries b y the vaccinees and controlled by telephone contacts by the investigators. Ninety-four of 99 vaccinees (94.9%, 95% CL 88.6, 98.3) had detectable antib odies after the first dose [titers 4-1024, geometric mean titer (GMT): 53.2 (95% CL 42.4, 66.8)]. After the second dose, all vaccinees had antibodies (100%, 95% CL 96.6, 100.0) [titers 32-2048, GMT: 235.6 (95% CL 199.0, 278.8 )]. Mild reactions limited to the injection site occurred in 1 in 4 subject s after each dose. Vesicular rashes occurred in one subject after the Ist d ose and in 3 subjects after the 2nd dose; 1 subject was febrile (38.2 degre es C) after the Ist dose. Eighty-one subjects were retested 12 months after the second vaccination. Three had become seronegative tone developed mild varicella 2 months later). Two had boosted their titers tone after mild cli nical varicella 1 month earlier, the other after close contact with clinica l cases). The GMT of the group had fallen to 83.6 (95% CL 65.4, 106.8). The identification and vaccination of seronegative health-care workers is safe and efficient, and will benefit the workers themselves and the communities in which they work. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.