Background/Aim:
The antibody titer of vaccine-preventable disease in pediatric patients
who underwent chemotherapy was assessed in order to evaluate the
seroprotection after treatment and the feasibility and the efficacy of
a policy of revaccination.
Methods: Serum antibody titers of 55 patients for hepatitis B (HBV), rubella, varicella-zoster (VZV), measles, mumps, polio viruses, Clostridium tetani (C. tetani) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) were analysed.
Results: After chemotherapy, a lack of protective antibody titers against HBV, rubella, VZV, measles, mumps, polio viruses, C. tetani, and S. pneumoniae
was found in 53%, 45%, 46%, 46%, 43%, 21-26%, 88% and 55%
of patients, respectively. In 49 of 55 patients who were tested both
before and after chemotherapy for at least a pathogen, the loss of
immunity for HBV, rubella, VZV, measles, mumps, polio viruses and C. tetani
was respectively 39%, 43%, 38%, 42%, 32%, 33%, and 80%. A low number of
B-lymphocytes was associated with the loss of immunity against measles
(p=0.04) whereas a high number of CD8+ T-lymphocytes was associated
with the loss of immunity against VZV (p=0.03). A single booster of
vaccine dose resulted in a seroprotection for HBV, rubella, VZV,
measles, mumps, polio viruses, C. tetani and S. pneumoniae in 67%, 83%, 80%, 67%, 33%, 100%, 88% and 67% of patients, respectively.
Conclusions:
We confirm that seroprotection for vaccine-preventable disease is
affected by treatment for pediatric malignancy. A single booster dose
of vaccine might be a practical way to restore vaccine immunity in
patients after chemotherapy.