Long Term Persistence of IgE Anti-Varicella Zoster Virus in Pediatric and Adult Serum Post Chicken Pox Infection and after Vaccination with Varicella Virus Vaccine

摘要

The production of IgE specific to different viruses (HIV-1, Parvovirus B19, RSV), and the ability forIgE anti-HIV-1 to suppress HIV-1 production in vitro, strongly suggest an important role for IgE and/oranti viral specific IgE in viral pathogenesis. Previous studies in our laboratory were the first to report thepresence of IgE anti-varicella zoster virus (VZV) in an adolescent patient with shingles. However, the pres-ence and long term persistence of IgE anti VZV antibodies has not been studied in adults. The presence ofserum IgE in addition to IgE and IgG anti-VZV antibody in sera were studied in children (N=12) (0-16 y/o)and adults (N=9) (32-76 y/o) with either a past history of (wild type) chicken pox (N=7 children, 9 adults) or5 years after vaccination with varicella zoster (N=2 children) (Varicella virus vaccine live, Oka/Merck), aswell as in non-infected subjects (N=3 children). Of the patients who had a positive history of chicken pox 13of 16 (81%) contained IgE anti–VZV antibodies; they were both serum IgEm (>100 IU/ml) and IgEL. (<100IU/ml). Of the patients who were vaccinated, IgE anti-VZV antibodies were undetected. In contrast, serumfrom the patients without a history of chicken pox or vaccination did not make either IgE or IgG anti-VZVantibodies. This is the first demonstration of the existence of IgE anti-VZV antibodies, and its long-term per-sistence in serum of previously infected subjects. Future studies regarding the functional role of anti-viralIgE and its relationship to VZV are warranted.