Kids who take antiretroviral therapy drugs to combat HIV infection may need to be revaccinated against other preventable diseases, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The researchers looked at 38 published studies to see the immune responses to vaccines. Most on the antiretrovirals remained susceptible to the diseases, but responded well to revaccination.
They published their finding in the latest issue of the Lancet Infectious Diseases.
"Because of the progressive effects of HIV infection on the ability of the immune system to mount an effective response, many infected children have poorer responses to vaccines than do uninfected children," Dr. William Moss, senior author of the review and an associate professor with the Bloomberg School's Department of Epidemiology said in a statement.
"In addition, fewer children infected with HIV achieve protective immunity, and those who do might experience greater and more rapid waning of immunity. These results suggest that children on [antiretrovirals] would benefit from revaccination, but levels of protective immunity might need to be monitored and some children may need additional vaccine doses to maintain protective immunity."
The studies looked at the kids' short-term immune response (less than 3 months) and long-term response (greater than 3 months) and found that those on antiretrovirals since infancy – before routine childhood vaccines – might have long lasting immunity to those diseases.
The information from this research may help develop polices and strategies for kids with HIV. The researchers note that more such kids are living into adolescence and adulthood and steps need to be taken to keep them from developing other preventable diseases.
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