Risk of Contracting Chickenpox Despite Vaccination

Antibody Response and Immunity

Commercial ELISA assays lack sensitivity to detect vaccine-induced antibody in all cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1
More sensitive tests show that 99% of adults develop antibodies after two doses, as recommended by the CDC 1
Seroconversion does not always equal full protection, as cell-mediated immunity plays a critical role, as stated by the CDC 2
Approximately 25-31% of adult vaccine recipients lose detectable antibodies within 1-11 years, yet remain protected through cell-mediated immunity, according to the CDC 2
Vaccine-induced cell-mediated immunity persists in 94% of adults at 1 and 5 years post-vaccination, as reported by the CDC 2

Two-dose vaccination is now standard to achieve optimal protection and outbreak control, as recommended by the CDC 6
Healthcare personnel should receive two doses administered 4-8 weeks apart, according to the CDC 2
During outbreaks, a second dose should be offered to previously one-dose vaccinated individuals, with 3 months minimum interval from the first dose, as recommended by the CDC 6