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Preserved measles immunity after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a cohort of mainly αβ T-cell-depleted graft recipients

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 61, pages 92–94 (2026)Cite this article

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Measles was once assumed to have been eliminated due to widespread vaccination programs in the Western world, however recent outbreaks indicate that measles are re-emerging and immunocompromised patients are at risk for its severe complications [1,2,3]. Patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are immunosuppressed and may have lost their previously obtained immunity against measles [4, 5]. Vaccination is known to be highly effective in preventing measles, and revaccination after HSCT (with or without prior serology measurement) is therefore recommended post-HSCT (Supplementary table 1).

Present study evaluated preserved measles immunity 24 months post-HSCT in a large cohort of αβ T-cell-depleted HSCT recipients. HSCT recipients aged ≥18 years at the Hematology department of the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), The Netherlands were included. Measles-specific IgG levels were determined using Liaison XL (DiaSorin) chemiluminescence (CLIA) technology or Multiplex Immuno Assay (Luminex). Preserved immunity was defined as IgG antibody levels ≥0.12 ug/ml (CLIA) or ≥1.1 IU/ml (Luminex) [6].

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author in reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Gaby Smits and Dewi Wessels Beljaars for performing the Multiplex Immuno Assay analyses at the Center for Infectious Disease Control, RIVM, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Infectious Diseases, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

    M. J. M. Janssen & A.H.W. Bruns

  2. Department of Hematology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

    M. A. de Witte, L.G.M. Daenen & J. Kuball

  3. Department of Microbiology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

    F. Verduyn Lunell & A.H.W. Bruns

  4. Center for Infectious Disease Control, RIVM Bilthoven, Bilthoven, Netherlands

    D. van Baarle

  5. Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, UMC Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands

    D. van Baarle

Authors
  1. M. J. M. Janssen
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  2. M. A. de Witte
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  3. L.G.M. Daenen
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  4. F. Verduyn Lunell
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  7. A.H.W. Bruns
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Contributions

MJ and AB designed the study and wrote the manuscript. MJ collected clinical data and FVL collected samples for immunological data. DVB supervised the Multiplex Immuno Assays on these samples. MJ analyzed and interpreted the clinical and immunological data. AB, MW, LD, DVB and JK gave critical input. All authors revised the manuscript, approved the final version to be published and agreed to accountability of the work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. J. M. Janssen.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

All methods were performed in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. Approval has been obtained from the METC (protocol number METC 11-063), and informed consent was obtained from all participants.

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Janssen, M.J.M., de Witte, M.A., Daenen, L. et al. Preserved measles immunity after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a cohort of mainly αβ T-cell-depleted graft recipients. Bone Marrow Transplant 61, 92–94 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-025-02731-x

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