THE JOUR:\'AL OF !:\'FECTIOUS DISEASE. VOL. 136, SUPPLEl\JE;\,T • DECEMBER 1977 © 1977 by the University of Chicago. All rights reserved.
Bivalent Influenza Vaccine in Children with Cancer From the Departments of Pediatrics and Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Ciro Valent Sumaya, Thomas E. Williams, and Philip A. Brunell
It had been recommended that children with malignant diseases be immunized against influenza, because they are considered at high risk if infected with influenza viruses [1]. However, few data were available to indicate the immune response or reactions to influenza vaccine that might be expected in this group. Most of the patients with cancer previously studied, with few exceptions [2], appeared to have a moderate degree of impairment of humoral immunity [3-9]. In addition to the disease process, many patients with malignant diseases receive immunosuppressive therapy, which could possibly inhibit an immune response to vaccines [10, II]. In order to obtain additional information, we studied the response to influenza immunization in a group of children with malignant diseases.
ing 27 children with acute lymphocytic leukemia, three with other types of leukemias, two with Hodgkin's lymphoma, five with lymphoma other than Hodgkin's, one with retinoblastoma, one with neuroblastoma, two with osteogenic sarcoma, two with soft tissue sarcomas, and three with other solid tumors. Children in hematologic relapse or with an absolute neutrophil count of
Bivalent Influenza Vaccine in Children with Cancer From the Departments of Pediatrics and Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Ciro Valent Sumaya, Thomas E. Williams, and Philip A. Brunell
It had been recommended that children with malignant diseases be immunized against influenza, because they are considered at high risk if infected with influenza viruses [1]. However, few data were available to indicate the immune response or reactions to influenza vaccine that might be expected in this group. Most of the patients with cancer previously studied, with few exceptions [2], appeared to have a moderate degree of impairment of humoral immunity [3-9]. In addition to the disease process, many patients with malignant diseases receive immunosuppressive therapy, which could possibly inhibit an immune response to vaccines [10, II]. In order to obtain additional information, we studied the response to influenza immunization in a group of children with malignant diseases.
ing 27 children with acute lymphocytic leukemia, three with other types of leukemias, two with Hodgkin's lymphoma, five with lymphoma other than Hodgkin's, one with retinoblastoma, one with neuroblastoma, two with osteogenic sarcoma, two with soft tissue sarcomas, and three with other solid tumors. Children in hematologic relapse or with an absolute neutrophil count of
