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Abstract
We examined specific humoral and cellular immunity from varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in 10 pediatricians, 8 healthy immune adults, 2 non-immune adults, and 15 patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in order to investigate the mechanism of resistance to VZV and the booster effect of frequent re-exposure. The responder cell frequency (RCF) against VZV antigen was determined by lymphoproliferative response with limiting dilution. Four of the 10 children with ALL and receiving maintenance therapy did not have VZV-specific cellular immunity according to our positive criteria (Stimulation Index > 2.0 and RCF > 1:150,000), but 3 of these 4 patients had VZV-specific IgG antibody. In both healthy adults and ALL patients re-exposure to VZV or reactivation of the virus enhanced VZV-specific immunity. Individuals with very high RCF values (> 1:10,000) had the lowest IgG antibody titers.
