ABSTRACT
The success of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) depends not only on the eradication of primary disease but also on the rapid restoration of durable hematopoiesis and immune competence. To date, multiple groups have evaluated the immune reconstitution of infants afflicted with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) (1-4), as well as children transplanted for metabolic diseases, cancer, and bone marrow failure states. The majority of these studies have assessed the reconstitution of lymphoid populations and nonspecific mitogen responses. Fewer studies have included the kinetics of recovery of antigenspecific T-and B-cell responses, the development of which is crucial to decrease death from infection and to develop protection following immunization against vaccine-preventable disease.
