Introduction: vaccination is one of very important aspects in medical care of HIV infected children.
Aim: to evaluate measles vaccination effectiveness based on post-vaccination antibodies in HIV infected children.
Patients and methods: 45 -- vertically HIV infected children were observed between 2001-2004 in the Department of Children's Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw. Post vaccination measles antibodies were evaluated at the beginning of study and during the follow-up. Effectiveness of primary vaccination and revaccination was evaluated The analysed factors included: age, time since the last vaccine dose, age at HIV diagnosis, clinical and immunological condition, HIV viral load, age of the child at the beginning of antiretroviral treatment.
Results: post vaccination measles antibodies were detected in 47% patients. Children, who were diagnosed before vaccination, were more likely to have measles antibodies (p<0,02). Age at the beginning of antiretroviral treatment (p<0,005) and time since last vaccination (p<0,01) were found to be important factors of measles antibody response. Primary vaccination was effective in 77% of the treated children, revaccination in 46%.
Conclusions: factors which influenced measles vaccination effectiveness included age at the beginning of antiretroviral treatment and the time since last vaccination. The effectiveness of primary vaccination in treated children was high but lower compared to healthy children. Revaccination response is lower.