Neutralization of Rubella Vaccine Virus and Immunodeficiency-Related Vaccine-Derived Rubella Viruses by Intravenous Immunoglobulins

Abstract

Abstract The association between granulomas and vaccine-derived rubella virus (VDRV) in people with primary immunodeficiencies has raised concerns about the ability of immunoglobulin preparations to neutralize VDRVs. We investigated the capacity of immunoglobulin to neutralize rubella vaccine virus and 4 VDRV strains. As expected, the rubella vaccine virus itself was potently neutralized by immunoglobulin preparations, but the VDRV isolates from patients after intrahost evolution, 2–6 times less so. Diagnosis of immune deficiencies before possible live-virus vaccination is thus of critical importance, while immunoglobulin replacement therapy can be expected to provide protection from rubella virus infection.