Seroprevalence of Varicella-Zoster virus IgG antibodies in Swiss children during the first 16 months of age

QUESTION UNDER STUDY: To investigate the persistence of maternal IgG antibodies against Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) in infants and young children. METHODS: Serum specimens of children aged 0-16 months who had been hospitalized in our institution between 1994 and 1999 were identified from our routine serum collection. Exclusion criteria were: preterm delivery (>37 gestational weeks); suspected varicella infection or presence of exanthema of unknown etiology at time of serum collection; transfusion of blood products during 6 months preceding serum collection; foreign born mother; and previous VZV immunization. Serotesting for IgG antibodies against VZV was performed by use of a commercially available ELISA kit. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty three serum specimens from 240 patients were analyzed. Age distribution of patients at time of specimen collection was: 0-3 months: n=57; <3-6 months: n=47; <6-9 months: n=47; <9-12 months: n=48; <12-16 months: n=54. Seroprevalence rates for IgG antibodies against VZV in the different age groups were 90% (0-3 months), 38% (<3-6 months); 0% (<6-9 and <9-12 months); and 7% (<12-16 months). CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate high levels of passively acquired humoral immunity against varicella in Swiss infants during the first 3 months of life. Beyond the first 3 months of life IgG antibodies against VZV are lacking in the majority of patients and between 6 and 12 months of age all specimens tested were negative. Beyond the first year of life antibodies against varicella were detected in four samples, probably due to previous VZV infection. In accordance with current recommendations, VZV vaccination should ideally be administered to children 9 months of age and older, although our data indicate that successful immunization may be possible at earlier age (6 months onwards) in certain circumstances

Vaccine Update: Recent Progress With Novel Vaccines, and New Approaches to Safety Monitoring and Vaccine Shortage

Vaccines are increasingly based on new constructs, new technologies, and new compounds. Novel immunization programs are rapidly implemented globally. In this article, we highlight selected hot topics of this highly dynamic and broad field of scientific and public health development. The first section focuses on novel vaccines including malaria, dengue, serogroup B meningococcal, and respiratory syncytial virus vaccines and antibodies. The second section is addressing emerging strategies and programmatic challenges including maternal immunization, integrated mother-child safety monitoring, and finally coping strategies with vaccine shortages

Architecture inquiétée par l’œuvre d'art: Mémorial Walter Benjamin, Dani Karavan, Portbou

ans la petite ville catalane de Portbou où Walter Benjamin, tentant d'échapper au nazisme, s'est donné la mort le 26 septembre 1940, s'élève depuis 1994 une oeuvre spatiale de Dani Karavan, en mémoire du grand penseur juif-allemand. Cet hommage à Walter Benjamin, intitulé "Passages" est une formidable machine à émouvoir et à penser. Dans le cadre du programme de recherche "Art, architecture, paysage" du bureau de la recherche architecturale et urbaine du ministère de la culture, l'équipe dirigée par Bruno Queysanne a présenté ses travaux à Portbou en juillet dernier. Donnant suite à ce colloque, architectes, artistes, philosophes et historiens discuteront de la capacité de ce dispositif spatial, entre sculpture et land-art, à inquiéter les certitudes architecturales

Early Appearance of Bactericidal Antibodies after Polysaccharide Challenge of Toddlers Primed with a Group C Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine: What Is Its Role in the Maintenance of Protection?

The contribution of memory responses after meningococcal vaccination to protection may depend on the rapidity of the response. Toddlers were challenged with a licensed polysaccharide (PS) vaccine 1 year after vaccination with a single dose of meningococcal group C-CRM(197) conjugate (MCC) vaccine at the age of 12 to 15 months. Bactericidal antibodies and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were measured before challenge and 4, 7, 14, or 21 Days later (“Days” refer to treatment groups, “days” to sampling days). Among 281 subjects in the intent-to-treat population, 173 per-protocol (PP) subjects were challenged with 10 μg PS antigen and 103 others with a 50-μg PS vaccinating dose. Capsular PS-specific ELISA IgG titers were negligible in baseline samples and increased only twofold within 4 days of PS administration. In contrast, the proportion of PP subjects with serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) titers of ≥1:8 or ≥1:128 increased, respectively, from 41% and 16% before challenge to 84% and 74% at Day 4 and to 100% and 97% at Day 7. Recipients of 50 μg PS responded with similar kinetics but showed a trend toward higher antibody levels. Unexpectedly, 69% of subjects bled on days 2 to 3 already had achieved SBA titers of ≥1:8. The majority of toddlers previously immunized with MCC and challenged 1 year later with PS antigen mounted protective levels of bactericidal antibody within 2 to 4 days