Immune response to different tick-borne encephalitis vaccines as revealed by lymphocyte blast transformation and virus neutralization tests.

Immunological memory has been demonstrated in lymphocytes of persons vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Stimulation indices (SI) of lymphocytes in response to TBE virus antigens in lymphocyte blast transformation test increased after complete vaccination course with the commercial vaccine; by this time, sera of vaccinees contained virus neutralizing antibodies. The concentrated purified vaccine had a higher immunogenic activity, as evidenced by increased SI and virus neutralizing antibodies (NA) in the vaccinated subjects already after the first and second vaccinations.