Influenza Vaccination in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses

  1. WILLIAM A. BRIGGS, M.D.;
  2. RICHARD J. ROZEK, M.S.;
  3. STEPHEN D. MIGDAL, M.D.;
  4. JOAN L. SHILLIS, Ph.D.;
  5. ROBERT G. BRACKETT, Ph.D.;
  6. FRANK B. BRANDON, Ph.D.;
  7. SUDESH K. MAHAJAN, M.D.; and
  8. FRANKLIN D. McDONALD, M.D.
  1. Detroit, Michigan

    Abstract

    Influenza infection in renal transplant recipients may cause either morbidity and mortality or acute allograft rejection; thus, routine annual influenza vaccination should be considered. We have studied the humoral and cellular immune responses to influenza virus antigens before and after trivalent vaccine administration in 13 patients and 16 control subjects. The patients, nine of whom were either on alternate-day or low-dose daily steroid therapy, showed highly significant serum hemagglutination-inhibition antibody responses to each influenza virus strain. There was no significant change in mean lymphocyte stimulation index to any influenza virus strain after vaccination in either group. There was no correlation in the patient group between hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titer or response, or lymphocyte stimulation index or response, and the degree of allograft function or dose or duration of immunosuppressive therapy. The vigorous antibody response and the evidence of cellular immunity support the efficacy of influenza vaccination in these patients.

    Article and Author Information

    • ▸From the Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Harper-Grace Hospitals, and the Biological Research and Development Department, Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis; Detroit, Michigan.

    • Grant support: from Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis, The Skillman Foundation, the Harper Hospital Medical Staff Fund, all of Detroit, Michigan, and the Bio-Medical Applications Management Research Fund of Boston, Massachusetts.

    • ▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to William A. Briggs, M.D.; Nephrology Section, Harper-Grace Hospitals, 3990 John R. Street; Detroit, MI 48201.

      • Received July 27, 1979.
      • Accepted December 18, 1979.
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    1. Ann Intern Med April 1, 1980 vol. 92 no. 4 471-477
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