Inactivated varicella vaccine given before hematopoietic-cell transplantation and during the first 90 days thereafter reduces the risk of zoster. The protection correlates with reconstitution of CD4 T-cell immunity against varicella-zoster virus.

Immunizing infants against measles at the youngest age possible has the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality. The ability of infants at 6, 9, or 12 months to respond to measles and mumps vaccines was evaluated by measuring T cell proliferation, interferon-gamma production, and neutralizing antibody titers before and after vaccination. Infants in all age groups had equivalent cellular immune responses to measles or mumps viruses, with or without passive antibodies when immunized. In contrast, 6-month-old infants without passive antibodies had low geometric mean titers of antibody to measles or mumps viruses and low seroconversion rates. Geometric mean titers of antibody to measles virus increased if infants were revaccinated at 12 months. Six-month-old infants had limited humoral responses to paramyxovirus vaccines, whereas cellular immunity was equivalent to that of older infants. T cell responses can be established by immunization with these live attenuated virus vaccines during the first year, despite the presence of passive antibodies.

No abstract

Measles vaccination elicits T cell responses in infants as young as 6 months old, which may prime the humoral response to the second dose. Initiating measles vaccination as an early 2-dose regimen results in an immunologic response that is likely to have clinical benefits in developed and developing countries.

Combination antiretroviral therapy can have a salutary effect on preserving or improving neurological function. Superior systemic treatments may likewise better preserve neurological function. The significant association of poor neurological performance with mortality, independent of CD4 counts and HIV-1 RNA levels indicates that neurological dysfunction is an important cause or a strong marker of poor prognosis in late HIV-1 infection. This study demonstrates the value of adjunctive neurological measures in large therapeutic trials of late HIV-1 infection.