Live varicella vaccine in both immunocompromised and healthy children

Background There is no information on the use of live varicella vaccine in Mexican children. Our objective was to evaluate antibody response and safet y of the live varicella vaccine in both healthy and immunocompromised Mexic an children. Methods. One hundred children with no history of varicella/zoster were vacc inated with a live attenuated varicella vaccine, According to their immune status, patients were divided into either a compromised (leukemia, solid tu mors, chronic renal failure, and cirrhosis) or a healthy children group. Se rum IgG antibodies against VZV were measured by ELISA at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after vaccination. Results. A positive VZV-ELISA at baseline was detected in 36 of 67 (53.7%) immunocompromised children and in 22 of 33 (66%) healthy children. Among VZ V-seronegative children, seroconversion at 6 months post-vaccination was ob served in 90.3% of compromised children and in 100% of healthy children. In creases in serum antibody levels at 3 and 6 months post-vaccination was sim ilar in both groups. VZV vaccine-related adverse reactions, mostly mild and local, were detected in 29% of the children. Three compromised children ha d a mild rash symptomatic of varicella after vaccination. Conclusions. About 50% of immunosuppressed children (mean age 8.8 +/- 3.6 y ears) with no varicella history were VZV-seronegative. Almost all of these compromised VZV-seronegative patients seroconverted 6 months after vaccine. In addition, antibody titers were similar in both compromised and healthy children. (C) 2000 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.