Cell-mediated immune responses to inactivated trivalent influenza-vaccination are decreased in patients with common variable immunodeficiency

Influenza-specific cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses can protect from influenza, but may be decreased in CVID-patients since defects in CMI responses have been demonstrated in CVID-patients. Therefore CMI responses were evaluated in 15 CVID-patients and 15 matched healthy controls (HC) by determining frequencies of interferon (IFN)-gamma-producing PBMC, and frequencies of IFN gamma-, interleukin (IL)-2- and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells before and after influenza vaccination using IRA), enzyme-linked immunospot (IFN gamma-ELISpot) and flow cytometry. Humoral responses were determined using haemagglutination inhibition assay. In CVID-patients the number of spotforming PBMC in the IFN gamma-ELISpot did not increase following influenza vaccination, in contrast to HC. In flow cytometry, the frequencies of IFN gamma-producing T-cells decreased in CVID-patients after influenza vaccination, while in HC the frequencies of IFN gamma-production flow cytometry increased. Concluding, CMI responses following influenza vaccination are hampered in CVID-patients compared to HC. Additional protective strategies against influenza other than vaccination are warranted. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.