Rubella antibodies in vertically and horizontally HIV-infected young adults vaccinated early in life and response to a booster dose in those with seronegative results

•Over 2/3 vertically HIV individuals lack rubella antibodies 16y after vaccination.•There is a 7% higher chance of rubella seronegativity for each y of the last dose.•80.6% rubella seronegative vertically HIV individuals respond to an extra MMR dose. Very limited data are available on the persistence of rubella antibodies in vertically HIV-infected individuals who were vaccinated early in life. Prospective, cohort study on 4 groups of patients: 96 vertically HIV-1-infected individuals (v-HIV), 69 horizontally HIV-1-infected individuals (h-HIV), 93 healthy controls previously vaccinated for rubella (vac-CON) and 20 healthy controls with history of rubella disease (dis-CON). A blood sample was collected and rubella antibodies were analyzed by ELISA. Rubella antibodies above 10 IU/mL were considered protective. Individuals with seronegative results were offered an extra MMR vaccine dose and were tested at least 30 days afterwards. Time since previous rubella vaccination was similar in v-HIV, h-HIV and vac-CON (16, 11 and 11 years; p = 0.428). v-HIV and h-HIV were also comparable regarding median CD4 T cells (613 and 614 cells/mm3; p = 0.599) and percentage on ART (93.8% and 98.6%; p = 0.135) at study entry. v-HIV had less individuals on virological suppression (63.5%) compared to 85.5% in h-HIV (p