Persistently High Antibody Titers and Deficient Specific Cellular Immunity to Varicella‐Zoster Virus in a Retarded Patient after Varicella Infection

Abstract

We report on a 19 month old female who has been retarded developmentally after a severe varicella infection contracted from her mother 4 months after delivery. Her titer of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) IgG antibody has been remarkably high for 4 years after the infection. Natural killer activity and the specific cellular immunity to VZV, as tested by delayed type hypersensitivity skin test and lymphocyte-proliferation assay, were impaired. She had an improvement of ataxia and then progressed developmentally after administration of an anti-viral agent. Administration of oral corticosteroids and methylprednisolone transiently decreased titers of VZV antibody and, contrary to previous reports, returned natural killer activity to normal levels. We suggest that this case may be a persistent VZV infection similar to congenital cytomegalovirus infection due to selective defects in cellular immunity including NK cells. Whether this specific deficient cellular immunity is genetically determined or secondary to the viral infection is speculative. This is the first known report of such a case.

A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Massage Therapy on the Immune System of Preterm Infants

“…[8][9][10] There is a correlation between low NK cytotoxicity and susceptibility to viral infections. [11][12][13][14][15] Decreased NK cytotoxicity against herpes simplex virus-infected cells in human cord blood cells has been associated with severe and recurrent herpes simplex virus diseases in infants. 11,12 The reduced NK cell cytotoxicity and deficient antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against HIV-infected cells in premature infants explains in part the increased risk of vertical transmission of HIV infections in preterm infants.…”