PEDIATRICS Vol. 71 No. 3 March 1983, pp. 307-312
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Live Attenuated Varicella Vaccine: The KMcC Strain in Healthy Children

Allan M. Arbeter MD1, Stuart E. Starr MD1, Robert E. Weibel MD1, Beverly J. Neff PhD1, and Stanley A. Plotkin MD1

1 From the Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia; and Virus and Cell Biology Research, Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, West Point, Pennsylvania

The KMcC strain of live, attenuated varicella-zoster virus vaccine was studied in healthy children as a preliminary step toward varicella vaccine studies with this strain in children with leukemia. Forty-three children were immunized: 26 with the 40th passage vaccine and 17 with the 50th passage. Studies included surveillance for clinical reactivity, oropharyngeal excretion of vaccine virus, viruria, and viremia. Antibody responses were assayed by fluorescent antibody to membrance antigens and immune adherence hemagglutination. Cell-mediated immune responses were assayed by lymphocyte proliferation to varicella-zoster virus specific antigens. There was 100% seroconversion to the KMcC passage 40 and 50 vaccines (by fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen assay). Every child studied developed in vitro lymphocyte proliferation to varicella-zoster virus antigens. Papular skin lesions, probably vaccine related, occurred in 31% of the 40th passage vaccinees but in only 6% of the 50th passage vaccinees. The 50th passage KMcC strain vaccine is sufficiently immunogenic and safe to initiate clinical studies with leukemia patients.

Key Words: vaccination • chickenpox • varicella

Submitted on April 14, 1982
Accepted on June 16, 1982