This observational study which is being led by the Special Immunization Clinics Network will follow children who have completed chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia or who underwent hematopoietic stem cell (bone marrow) transplant in order to identify factors that predict short and long term responses to routine immunizations and to assess the safety of vaccination in this population. In children treated for ALL, we will also identify factors that predict loss of immunity to vaccines received prior to chemotherapy in order to determine whether additional booster doses of vaccines are needed in these children.

The results of this study will help to support the development of immunization guidelines for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and to standardize immunization guidelines for patients who have received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The study design and approach will be refined and expanded to assess other patients with weakened immune systems.

Team Members:

• Karina Top, Project Lead, Dalhousie University
• Gaston De Serres, Laval University
• Scott Halperin, Dalhousie University
• Julie Bettinger, University of British Columbia
• Todd Hatchette, Dalhousie University
• Bruce Smith, Dalhousie University
• Tania Watts, University of Toronto
• Upton Allen, The Hospital for Sick Children
• Vicky Price, The IWK Health Centre
• Lillian Sung, The Hospital for Sick Children
• Tamara MacDonald, Dalhousie University
• Raymond Tsang, Public Health Agency of Canada
• Anne Pham-Huy, CHEO Research Institute
• Dat Tran, University of Toronto
• Wendy Vaudry, University of British Columbia
• Athena McConnell, University of Saskatchewan
• Simon Dobson, University of British Columbia
• Taj Jadavji, University of Calgary
• Jeffrey Pernica, McMaster University
• Caroline Quach, Laval University
• Louis Valiquette, Université de Sherbrooke