DOES LIVE VARICELLA VACCINE (LVV) PROTECT AGAINST OTHER HERPESVIRUSES?

It has been shown that Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) and Varicella-zoster Virus (VZV) share antigenic determinants and that the VZV genome contains homologous regions to HSV-1 and HSV-2 genomes. More recently Edson, et al, found that the envelope glycoproteins HSV gB and VZV gp⁶³ share common antigens and that cross reactive anti-HSV polyclonal and monoclonal antibody can neutralize VZV infection. Because of these common antigens, we sought to determine if administration of LVV in children can cause cross-reactive immune responses which could confer partial immunity to the heterologous viruses. Blood was obtained from 43 children at the time of LVV vaccine and three months later. A control group of 36 age matched children were tested to determine seroconversion rates in the absence of vaccine. Antibody response was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A sero-negative range for HSV and for CMV was established by studying sera obtained from 200 individuals of varying ages including newborns, infants, and adults. Seroconversion rate for the immunized population was 0 of 43 infants for HSV and 1 of 40 for CMV; respective rates for the control population were 2 of 35 and 1 of 36. (NS) We conclude that immunization with LVV vaccine offers no heterologous antibody protection to HSV and CMV in children.