PEDIATRICS Vol. 58 No. 5 November 1976, pp. 692-696
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Antibody to Varicella-Zoster Virus in Parturient Women and Their Offspring During the First Year of Life

Anne A. Gershon M.D.1, Richard Raker M.D.1, Sharon Steinberg 1, Barbara Topf-Olstein R.N.1, and Lewis M. Drusin M.D.1

1 Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, and the Departments of Public Health and Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York

A nursery outbreak of varicella is reported. Serum from 200 parturient women and 131 of their offspring were studied for antibody to varicella-zoster (V-Z) virus to analyze their immunity to varicella. Antibody titers were measured by the sensitive fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) technique. It was found that approximately 5% to 16% of women of child-bearing age in New York City are susceptible to varicella. Women from Puerto Rico or other subtropical and tropical areas are more likely to be susceptible (16%) than others (5%).

Infants born to mothers with detectable V-Z FAMA titers almost always had detectable V-Z antibody at birth. In serial serum specimens obtained from 67 initially seropositive babies during the first year of life, it was found that by 6 months of age most infants were no longer passively protected against varicella. These observations may explain why varicella is not uncommonly observed in young babies.

Submitted on December 29, 1975
Accepted on March 19, 1976




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