Opportunistic infection is always a potentially life threatening complication in pediatric oncology patients and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. With the advances in various disease treatment protocols, the overall and event-free survivals of this high risk population improve significantly. In this thesis, the author reported a number of original studies to discuss different strategies in prevention of this serious complication. Firstly, the author demonstrates that pediatric oncology patients are still vulnerable to various vaccine-preventable infectious diseases up to 18 months after stopping chemotherapy. For those vaccine-preventable infectious diseases, pediatric oncology patients can mount a significant and persistent immune response to common inactivated vaccine (namely diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine). For non-vaccine preventable infectious diseases, regular monitoring of plasma viral load and strategic use of antiviral agents as pre-emptive or prophylactic agent is an effective approach to prevent infection. In hematopoietic stem cell transplant setting, adoptive transfer of acquired immunity from donor to recipient and incorporation of this parameter in donor selection process can be considered. The findings of the studies can be applied to clinical setting. The future direction of our studies includes the immune responses of other common vaccines namely pneumococcal vaccine and pandemic influenza vaccine in high risk population. The role of transfer of donor's varicella zoster immunity in prevention of herpes zoster infection in transplant recipient can be further explored. With the advances in supportive care of our vulnerable patients, the survival rate is expected to be further improved in the future. / by Frankie Wai Tsoi, Cheng. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-01, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (M.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 193-208). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_344661 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Contributors | Cheng, Frankie Wai Tsoi., Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. Division of Medicine. |
| Source Sets | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, theses |
| Format | electronic resource, microform, microfiche, 1 online resource (209, [37] leaves : ill.) |
| Rights | Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons “Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International” License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
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