Variability and gender differences in memory T cell immunity to varicella-zoster virus in healthy adults

  • Nicola P. Klein
  • , Tyson H. Holmes
  • , Margaret A. Sharp
  • , Thomas C. Heineman
  • , Mark R. Schleiss
  • , David I. Bernstein
  • , George Kemble
  • , Ann M. Arvin
  • , Cornelia L. Dekker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Latent varicella zoster virus (VZV) can reactivate and cause zoster, the prevention of which relies upon cellular immunity to VZV. To assess temporal variation of VZV cell-mediated immunity in healthy naturally immune adults, we evaluated VZV-specific responder cell frequencies (RCF) longitudinally over 1 year in each of 25 adults. VZV-specific CD4+ T cells were detected (p < 0.003) and showed minimal variability in RCF. Additional analysis of VZV T cell RCF revealed differences between genders, with only males (p < 0.005) having detectable VZV-specific memory CD4+ T cell responses by this method. Taken together, results suggest that further studies regarding immunization of younger adults and females with the modified, high-potency live attenuated VZV vaccine may be warranted.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)5913-5918
Number of pages6
JournalVaccine
Volume24
Issue number33-34
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 14 2006

Keywords

  • Cell-mediated immunity
  • Latency
  • Responder cell frequency
  • Varicella-zoster virus
  • Zoster

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