Impaired cellular immune response to tetanus toxoid but not to cytomegalovirus in effectively HAART-treated HIV-infected children.

Abstract

Despite of highly active antiretroviral therapy, the response to vaccines in HIV-infected children is poor and short-lived, probably due to a defect in cellular immune responses. We compared the cellular immune response (assessed in terms of IFN-γ production) to tetanus toxoid and to cytomegalovirus in a series of 13 HIV-perinatally-infected children and adolescents with optimal immunovirological response to first line antiretroviral therapy, implemented during chronic infection. A stronger cellular response to cytomegalovirus (11 out of 13 patients) was observed, as compared to tetanus toxoid (1 out of 13; p=0.003). These results suggest that the repeated exposition to CMV, as opposed to the past exposition to TT, is able to maintain an effective antigen-specific immune response in stable HIV-infected pediatric patients and strengthen current recommendations on immunization practices in these children.

• Authors: Laia Alsina, Antoni Noguera-Julian, Clàudia Fortuny
• Journal: Vaccine (Vaccine) Vol. 31 Issue 20 Pg. 2417-9 (May 07 2013) ISSN: 1873-2518 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 23562610 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Chemical References

• Tetanus Toxoid

Topics

• Adolescent
• Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
• Child
• Cytomegalovirus (immunology)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay
• Female
• HIV Infections (drug therapy, immunology, virology)
• Humans
• Immunity, Cellular (immunology)
• Male
• Tetanus Toxoid (immunology, therapeutic use)
• Vaccination