Work

Chronic stress alters the immune response to influenza virus vaccine in older adults.

Year: 1996

Type: article

Abstract: To determine whether a chronic stressor (caregiving for a spouse with a progressive dementia) is associated with an impaired immune response to influenza virus vaccination, we compared 32 caregivers' vaccine responses with those of 32 sex-, age-, and socioeconomically matched control subjects. Caregivers showed a poorer antibody response following vaccination relative to control subjects as assessed by two independent methods, ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition. Caregivers also had lower levels of in vitro virus-specific-induced interleukin 2 levels and interleukin 1beta; interleukin 6 did not differ between groups. These data demonstrate that down-regulation of the immune response to influenza virus vaccination is associated with a chronic stressor in the elderly. These results could have implications for vulnerability to infection among older adults.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.93.7.3043

Authors: J K Kiecolt-Glaser, R Glaser, S Gravenstein, W B Malarkey, J Sheridan

Institutions: The Ohio State University, University of California, Los Angeles

Language: English

Topic: Influenza Virus Research Studies

Subfield: Epidemiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Ohio State University, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center for Research Resources