Vaccination News Home Page

Maternal antibodies interfere with measles vaccination
 
Clin Infect Dis 2000 Jul;31(1):110-9 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut
Click here to read
Factors determining prevalence of maternal antibody to measles virus throughout infancy: a review.

Caceres VM, Strebel PM, Sutter RW.

National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA. vac5@cdc.gov

The effectiveness of vaccination against measles, the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths in infants globally, is greatly impacted by the level of maternal antibody to measles virus (or "measles maternal antibody"; MMA) during infancy. Variation in the prevalence of maternal antibody to measles virus between infant populations across countries and sociodemographic strata is poorly understood. We reviewed the literature on the prevalence of MMA, focusing on 3 principal determinants: starting level of maternal antibody, placental transfer of maternal antibody, and rate of decay of maternal antibody after birth. Our review identified placental transfer as an important determinant, with greater efficiency found in studies performed in developed countries. Placental transfer was influenced by gestational age, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and malaria. Antibody levels in mothers varied widely between countries, although predictably according to vaccination status within populations. Rates of antibody decay across studies were similar. Future studies should evaluate the utility of the cord blood level of MMA as a predictor of vaccine efficacy in infancy; inclusion of World Health Organization international reference sera will facilitate comparisons. Greater understanding of the determinants of the prevalence of MMA will help national policy makers determine the appropriate age for measles vaccination.

Publication Types:
  • Review
  • Review, Tutorial

PMID: 10913406 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

 

Epidemiol Infect 2000 Apr;124(2):263-71

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Secondary measles vaccine failures identified by measurement of IgG avidity: high occurrence among teenagers vaccinated at a young age.

Paunio M, Hedman K, Davidkin I, Valle M, Heinonen OP, Leinikki P, Salmi A, Peltola H.

Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Failure to seroconvert (primary vaccine failure) is believed to be the principal reason (approx. > 95%) why some vaccinees remain susceptible to measles and is often attributed to the persistence of maternal antibodies in children vaccinated at a young age. Avidity testing is able to separate primary from secondary vaccine failures (waning and/or incomplete immunity), but has not been utilized in measles epidemiology. Low-avidity (LA) and high-avidity (HA) virus-specific IgG antibodies indicate primary and secondary failure, respectively. Measles vaccine failures (n = 142; mean age 10.1 years, range 2-22 years) from an outbreak in 1988-9 in Finland were tested for measles-virus IgG avidity using a protein denaturating EIA. Severity of measles was recorded in 89 failures and 169 non-vaccinees (mean age 16.2 years, range 2-22 years). The patients with HA antibodies (n = 28) tended to have clinically mild measles and rapid IgG response. Among failures vaccinated at < 12, 12-15 and > 15 months of age with single doses of Schwarz-strain vaccine in the 1970s, 50 (95% CI 1-99), 36 (CI 16-56) and 25% (CI 8-42) had HA antibodies, respectively. When a single measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine had been given after 1982 at 15 months of age, only 7% (CI 0-14) showed HA antibodies. Omitting re-vaccinees and those vaccinated at < 15 months, Schwarz-strain recipients had 3.6 (CI 1.1-11.5) higher occurrence of HA responses compared to MMR recipients. Apart from one municipality, where even re-vaccinees had high risk of primary infection, 89% (CI 69 to approximately 100) of the infected re-vaccinees had an HA response. Secondary measles-vaccine failures are more common than was more previously thought, particularly among individuals vaccinated in early life, long ago, and among re-vaccinees. Waning immunity even among individuals vaccinated after 15 months of age, without the boosting effect of natural infections should be considered a relevant possibility in future planning of vaccination against measles.

PMID: 10813152 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

J Virol 2000 May;74(10):4652-7

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Successful vaccine-induced seroconversion by single-dose immunization in the presence of measles virus-specific maternal antibodies.

Schlereth B, Rose JK, Buonocore L, ter Meulen V, Niewiesk S.

Institute of Virology and Immunobiology, University of Wuerzburg, 97078 Wurzburg, Germany.

In humans, maternal antibodies inhibit successful immunization against measles, because they interfere with vaccine-induced seroconversion. We have investigated this problem using the cotton rat model (Sigmodon hispidus). As in humans, passively transferred antibodies inhibit the induction of measles virus (MV)-neutralizing antibodies and protection after immunization with MV. In contrast, a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) expressing the MV hemagglutinin (VSV-H) induces high titers of neutralizing antibodies to MV in the presence of MV-specific antibodies. The induction of neutralizing antibodies increased with increasing virus dose, and all doses gave good protection from subsequent challenge with MV. Induction of antibodies by VSV-H was observed in the presence of passively transferred human or cotton rat antibodies, which were used as the models of maternal antibodies. Because MV hemagglutinin is not a functional part of the VSV-H envelope, MV-specific antibodies only slightly inhibit VSV-H replication in vitro. This dissociation of function and antigenicity is probably key to the induction of a neutralizing antibody in the presence of a maternal antibody.

PMID: 10775601 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

 

Eur J Immunol 1998 Dec;28(12):4138-48

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Influence of maternal antibodies on vaccine responses: inhibition of antibody but not T cell responses allows successful early prime-boost strategies in mice.

Siegrist CA, Barrios C, Martinez X, Brandt C, Berney M, Cordova M, Kovarik J, Lambert PH.

W.H.O. Collaborating Center for Neonatal Vaccinology, Department of Pathology, University of Geneva Medical School, Switzerland. Claire-Anne.Siegrist@medecine.unige.ch

The transfer of maternal antibodies to the offspring and their inhibitory effects on active infant immunization is an important factor hampering the use of certain vaccines, such as measles or respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, in early infancy. The resulting delay in protection by conventional or novel vaccines may have significant public health consequences. To define immunization approaches which may circumvent this phenomenon, experiments were set up to further elucidate its immunological bases. The influence of maternal antibodies on antibody and T cell responses to measles hemagglutinin (MV-HA) were analyzed following MV-HA immunization of pups born to immune or control BALB/c mothers using four different antigen delivery systems: live or inactivated conventional measles vaccine, a live recombinant canarypox vector and a DNA vaccine. High levels (> 5 log10) of maternal anti-HA antibodies totally inhibited antibody responses to each of the vaccine constructs, whereas normal antibody responses were elicited in presence of lower titers of maternal antibodies. However, even high titers of maternal antibodies affected neither the induction of vaccine-specific Th1/Th2 responses, as assessed by proliferation and levels of IFN-gamma and IL-5 production, nor CTL responses in infant mice. On the basis of these unaltered T cell responses, very early priming and boosting (at 1 and 3 weeks of age, respectively) with live measles vaccine allowed to circumvent maternal antibody inhibition of antibody responses in pups of immune mothers. This was confirmed in another immunization model (tetanus toxoid). It suggests that effective vaccine responses may be obtained earlier in presence of maternal antibodies through the use of appropriate immunization strategies using conventional or novel vaccines for early priming.

PMID: 9862350 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 

 
Pediatr Infect Dis J 1998 Apr;17(4):313-6 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Comment in:
Click here to read
Loss maternally derived measles immunity in Argentinian infants.

Nates SV, Giordano MO, Medeot SI, Martinez LC, Baudagna AM, Naretto E, Garrido P, De Wolff CD.

Instituto de Virologia Dr. J. M. Vanella, Facultad de Ciencias Medicas, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Ciudad Universitaria, Argentina. snates@cmefcm.uncor.edu

BACKGROUND: Measles immunization of children at 1 year of age with a single dose of the current vaccine has successfully reduced measles incidence in Argentina. However, the optimal schedule of measles vaccination of young infants would balance the risk of early loss of maternal antibody in the majority of infants with the risk of primary vaccine failure because of passive measles immunity. This study is the first to document a significant association between loss of passive measles antibody and age among infants born in 1995 and 1996 in Cordoba City, Argentina. METHODS: This is a seroprevalence study of 340 infants to investigate the duration of transplacentally derived measles antibody, assayed by a neutralization test, during the first 8 months of age in Cordoba City, Argentina. RESULTS: The proportion with detectable neutralizing measles antibodies decreased from 85% at 1 month of age to 8% at 8 months of age. The simple logistic model with age (in weeks) as the only variable showed that the decline in the proportion of infants with a positive antibody titer was sharpest during the second and fifth months of age (6.6 and 6.8% per week during a 4-week period, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that 80% of infants are susceptible to measles infection for at least 3 months before routine immunization at 12 months of age.

PMID: 9576386 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
 
Vaccine 1998 Apr;16(6):564-8 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut
Click here to read
Maternal measles antibody decay in rural Bangladeshi infants--implications for vaccination schedules.

de Francisco A, Hall AJ, Unicomb L, Chakraborty J, Yunus M, Sack RB.

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B). andres@icddrb.org

Considerable numbers of measles cases occur below the target age for vaccination in the Indian sub-continent. The immunogenicity of measles vaccine in infancy is dependent on the rate of decay in maternal antibody since this antibody interferes with vaccine induced seroconversion. This study investigated maternal antibody decay in a rural population in Bangladesh and evaluated possible risk factors for early decay. Measles antibodies were assessed using both ELISA and Plaque Reduction Neutralization (PRN) test in 330 infant-mother pairs in a cross-sectional survey. PRN was more sensitive method than ELISA for determining antibody levels. Antibody levels decreased rapidly in infants with increasing age. By the age of 5 months, 67% (28/42) infants had practically no protective antibody left (30 mIU ml-1 or below). Only 12% infants at 5 months of age, and 5% at 8 months, had levels greater than 120 mIU ml-1--stated to 'protect' children. Multiple regression showed that maternal age was the only variable associated with the level of antibody (maternal weight, height and MUAC were not associated), decreasing by 1.06 mIU ml-1 for each year of age (P = 0.002). Infant's antibody concentration decreased with age by an average 2 mIU mL-1 for every month of life (P < 0.0001), and was determined by the maternal antibody concentration (P < 0.0001) (child's length, weight, MUAC, mother's gestational age and parity were not associated). The relatively rapid antibody decay suggests that the target age for measles vaccination might be reduced. Further, as the cohort of vaccinated mothers enters reproductive age in Bangladesh, a more rapid decay of antibody may be expected in future generations of Bangladeshi children. The information presented here suggests that a formal trial of standard measles vaccine at younger ages is justified in this population as it could confer considerable benefit in reducing infant measles.

PMID: 9569466 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
J Infect Dis 1997 Mar;175(3):524-32 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Protective immunity in macaques vaccinated with live attenuated, recombinant, and subunit measles vaccines in the presence of passively acquired antibodies.

van Binnendijk RS, Poelen MC, van Amerongen G, de Vries P, Osterhaus AD.

Department of Virology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The presence of maternal antibodies is one of the main causes of measles vaccine failure. To evaluate the interference of passively acquired antibodies with vaccine efficacy, macaques (n = 16) were vaccinated with live attenuated measles vaccine in the presence or absence of passively acquired measles virus-specific monkey serum antibodies. As little as 0.1 IU of virus-neutralizing antibody/mL of serum abrogated the induction of specific serum IgM, IgG, and virus-neutralizing antibodies. This effect was also demonstrated in monkeys vaccinated with live recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the hemagglutinin and fusion proteins of measles virus but not in monkeys vaccinated with the same proteins incorporated into immune-stimulating complexes. All of the monkeys vaccinated in the presence of virus-neutralizing antibodies (n = 9) were still largely protected from intratracheal challenge with wild type virus. This protection is probably mediated by the observed specific T lymphocyte responses.

PMID: 9041322 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can J Public Health 1996 Mar-Apr;87(2):97-100

 

 

 

 


Measles immunization strategy: measles antibody response following MMR II vaccination of children at one year of age.

Ratnam S, West R, Gadag V, Burris J.

Newfoundland Public Health Laboratory, Department of Health, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's.

Measles antibody levels were determined by the plaque reduction neutralization (PRN) test in 580 one-year-old children before vaccination and four to six weeks after MMR II vaccination. Fifty-one (8.8%) had maternally derived measles antibody at prevaccination, and this was more common among children of women born before 1967 (10.6%) vs. 4.3%; p < 0.01). Among those with maternal antibody, only 22 (43.1%) responded with a protective PRN titre of over 120, in contrast to 463 (87.5%) of the 529 without maternal antibody at prevaccination (p < 0.0001). Also, the geometric mean titre was significantly lower for the former (114.1 vs. 378.5; p < 0.0001). Overall, 15 (2.6%) of the 580 children had no antibody response after vaccination, and a further 80 (13.8%) had a subprotective response (PRN titre < 120). This lack of response could not be attributed entirely to the presence of maternal measles antibody at the time of vaccination. The MMR II vaccine may not be sufficiently immunogenic in inducing adequate measles antibody response after a single dose given at one year of age.

Publication Types:

·         Clinical Trial

·         Controlled Clinical Trial


PMID: 8753636 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

 

Epidemiol Infect 1995 Dec;115(3):603-21

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Measles vaccination policy.

Williams BG, Cutts FT, Dye C.

Epidemiology Research Unit, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Where immunization campaigns locally eliminate measles, it will be important to identify the vaccination policy most likely to prevent future epidemics. The optimum age for vaccination depends on the rate of decline of maternal antibody, because the presence of antibody reduces vaccine efficacy. The first part of this paper contains a quantitative reappraisal of the data on antibody decline and seroconversion rates by age. The decline in maternal antibody protection follows delayed exponentials, with delays of 2-4 months, and subsequent half-lives of 1-2 months. Using this result in an analytical mathematical model we find that the optimal age to administer a single dose of vaccine to children, which is independent of vaccine coverage, lies within the range 11-19 months. We also show that, where the optimal age cannot be met, it is better to err towards late rather than early vaccination. There are therefore two reasons why developing countries, which presently vaccinate during infancy because measles transmission rates are high should eventually switch to the second year of life. The possible gains from two-dose vaccination schedules are explored with respect to both coverage and efficacy. A two-dose schedule will be beneficial, in principle, only when there is a need to increase net vaccine efficacy, after coverage has been maximized with a one-dose schedule.

PMID: 8557092 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Cent Afr J Med 1995 Aug;41(8):241-5

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Questioning the level of efficacy of the measles vaccine in use in Zimbabwe.

Marufu T, Siziya S, Manyame B, Xaba E, Silape-Marufu Z, Zimbizi P, Ruwodo C, Mason E, Matchaba-Hove RB, Mudyarabikwa O.

University of Zimbabwe Medical School, Department of Community Medicine, Harare, Zimbabwe.

A prospective study was carried out between 1987 and 1989 in the City of Gweru (Zimbabwe) to assess the efficacy of the measles vaccine. The vaccine efficacy assessment was carried out on an epidemiological basis by relating measles transmission in the vaccinated and unvaccinated children aged 10 to 23 months. Measles cases were identified on the basis of a standard case definition and data on occurrence of measles cases was collected through an active surveillance system. Efficacies of 73 pc, 82 pc and 77 pc were calculated for the years 1987, 1988 and 1989 respectively. Over the three year period mean efficacy was found to be 77 pc (95 pc confidence interval 75 to 79 pc). The vaccine efficacies found in this study were lower than 85 pc which is the officially accepted efficacy of the measles vaccine that is in use in Zimbabwe. The low vaccine efficacy found in this study is attributed to the fact that the measles vaccine is applied (at nine months of age) when probably 10 to 20 pc of children still have prenatally acquired maternal antibodies. It is suggested that further studies be carried out in Zimbabwe to enable the country to define the way forward.

PMID: 7585910 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Bull World Health Organ 1991;69(1):1-7

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Principles of measles control.

Cutts FT, Henderson RH, Clements CJ, Chen RT, Patriarca PA.

Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA 30333.

WHO's Expanded Programme on Immunization has significantly helped to reduce global morbidity and mortality from measles. Recently, some African countries with high vaccine coverage levels have reported measles outbreaks in children above the current target age group for immunization. Outbreaks such as these are to be expected, unless close to 100% of the population are immunized with a vaccine which is 100% effective. Success of an immunization programme requires identification of the distribution and ages of susceptible children and reduction of their concentration throughout the community. Priority should be given to urban and densely populated rural areas. In large urban areas, high coverage of infants must be achieved soon after the age at which they lose their maternal antibodies and become susceptible. This will be facilitated by the introduction of high-dose measles vaccines which can be given at 6 months of age. Where measles incidence is increasing among children aged over 2 years, immunization of older children may be considered during contacts with the health care system, or at primary school entry, if this does not divert resources from immunization of younger children. Health workers should be informed of the predicted changes in measles epidemiology following immunization. The collection, analysis and use of data on measles (vaccine coverage, morbidity and mortality) should be improved at all levels of the health care system in order to monitor the immunization programme's overall impact, identify pockets of low coverage, and allow early detection of and response to measles outbreaks.

Publication Types:

·         Review

·         Review, Tutorial


PMID: 2054914 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 

 
Med Trop (Mars) 1991 Apr-Jun;51(2):215-8 Related Articles, Books

[The transmission of maternal measles antibodies to newborn infants in the Ivory Coast]

[Article in French]

Rey JL, Lhuillier M, Dem M, Soro B, Saki Z, Davis CE.

Service d'Epidemiologie-Institut National de la Sante Publique, Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire.

Authors studied the disappearance of mothers measles antibodies among 286 babies from Ivory Coast 250 of which were living in Adzope, a town with 30,000 inhabitants at 100 km up North from Abidjan and the 36 other babies in Abidjan. The study of antibodies by IHA showed a higher serum incidence rate of mother antibodies among 4 months aged babies in Abidjan. The more sensitive study of antibodies by the Mann serum neutralisation, shows that when 6 months aged, 60% babies from Adzope still have antibodies and when 10 months aged, none of the babies is positive. Serum negativation is late compared to Brazzaville when antibodies level is lower.

PMID: 1654494 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

  

An Esp Pediatr 1984 Jun;20(9):847-53

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


[Anti-measles antibodies in the first 2 years of life]

[Article in Spanish]

Echevarria JM, Sainz C, Monton JL, Gonzalez F, Crespo E, Morales E, Cortes M, Taracena B, Najera R.

In order to achieve a better understanding of the epidemiology of measles in Spain to foster vaccination policy in our country, we have conducted a serological survey of measles antibodies in children between birth and two years of life in the urban population of Madrid. Authors have established the rate at which maternal antibodies are lost in these children below 15 months of life. The results indicate that, in general maternal antibodies have already disappeared at 9 months. Vaccination can thus be indicated around this age.

PMID: 6486579 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 

 
Med J Aust 1983 Nov 12;2(10):488-91 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Measles in the 1980s.

Christopher PJ, MacDonald PA, Murphy AM, Buckley PR.

We detail aspects of measles immunization programmes in several countries. Live measles vaccine has been available in Australia for 16 years, yet, in 1981, there were outbreaks of measles in the State of New South Wales (population 5 200 000) which led to 2200 admissions to hospital and five deaths. In response to complaints of "vaccine failure", a survey determined that 22.5% of children with measles seen by general practitioners and 10.3% of those admitted to hospitals had been previously immunized. There was no evidence of waning immunity, and noparticular batch of vaccine was implicated. The vaccine failures are attributed in part to failure of seroconversion in some recipients when immunized at 12 months of age as a result of interference by transplacentally acquired antibodies. As more of the susceptible population is vaccinated, there will be fewer cases of measles, but among these cases will be an increasing proportion of cases occurring in previously vaccinated individuals. The equation to calculate this expected proportion of "vaccine failures" is given. We support the measures to increase immunization compliance.

PMID: 6633361 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Int J Epidemiol 1983 Sep;12(3):340-3 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

The optimal age for vaccination against measles in an Asiatic city, Taipei, Taiwan: reduction of vaccine induced titre by residual transplacental antibody.

Lee YL, Black FL, Chen CL, Wu CL, Berman LL.

Children vaccinated when aged between six and thirteen months against measles in Taipei showed a high frequency of response, similar to that reported from Nairobi, Kenya and contrasting with analogous data for the USA. The age for optimal protection against measles mortality by a single dose of vaccine in this group of children is nine months. Maternal antibody exerted a negative effect on measles antibody titre in vaccinees beyond the age at which it blocked the response so that the infants of mothers with the higher titres themselves had lower titres. A separate effect of immunological immaturity on titre of the response could not be demonstrated in children over six months of age.

PMID: 6629623 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Rev Infect Dis 1983 May-Jun;5(3):452-9

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Measles: summary of worldwide impact.

Assaad F.

Nearly every measles infection results in well-recognized clinical disease. In nonimmunized populations almost every child will get measles early in life. The universality of the disease in nonimmunized communities, particularly those in the developing world, has led to a more or less passive acceptance of measles as an unavoidable risk of early life. The clinical spectrum of measles ranges from a mild, self-limiting illness to a fatal disease. Conditions encountered mainly in the developing world, e.g., unfavorable nutrition, high risk of concurrent infection, and inadequate case management -- particularly at home -- favor the development of complications and adverse outcome. Conversely, good clinical management of an otherwise healthy child, a situation seen mostly in the developed world, greatly influences the course of the disease. Hence many in the medical profession believe that measles is a mild disease except among populations living under particularly unfavorable conditions. Measles vaccine is effective in preventing disease in the individual and in controlling it in the community if it is given at the critical age when maternal antibodies wane and the risk of natural infection increases sharply and if a high immunization rate is maintained in the target population. The experience with immunization, particularly in sub-saharan Africa, is rewarding: mothers who had previously accepted measles as an unavoidable risk clamour for immunization of their children once its effectiveness has been demonstrated. No reason exists for measles to claim its present toll of morbidity and mortality. With extension of the Expanded Programme on Immunization of the World Health Organization, the impact of measles should progressively decline.

PMID: 6878998 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 

 

 
: Clin Pediatr (Phila) 1979 Mar;18(3):155-6, 161-3, 167 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Measles vaccine failure. A survey of causes and means of prevention.

Hayden GF.

From the article:  "In the early 1960's, it was believed that transplacentally-acquired antibody did not persist much beyond 6 months of age.  Hence, many children were vaccinated before 1 year of age in accordance with early recommendations.  In the mid-1960's, however, maternal antibody was detected in some infants as late as 11 months of age.  Vaccination before 1 years was then implicated as a contributing cause of vaccine failure.  More recently, maternal antibody was detected in some infants as late as 12 months of age, using a sensitive virus neutralization assay."

Publication Types:

  • Review

PMID: 371890 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Infection 1978;6(5):207-10

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


The influence of maternally derived antibody on the efficacy of further attenuated measles vaccine.

Stewien KE, Barbosa V, de Lima OS, Osiro K.

The natural decline of passively acquired maternal antibody titers and the influence of these antibodies on the efficacy of live, further attenuated measles vaccine were studied in 7 to 12 month old infants. Hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody titers were determined in the pre- and postvaccination sera. HI antibodies at low titers were detected in 20 (46%) of the 43 infants investigated, in five of six infants at seven months and two of nine infants at 12 months of age. The serological conversion rate following vaccination of the infants exhibiting transplacental maternal antibody was as low as 38%, in contrast with 100% sero-conversion of the infants without measurable antibodies of maternal origin. HI antibody titers were low in the infants seven to nine months of age, reflecting poor antibody responses to the administered vaccine. For the 12 month old infants the geometrical mean antibody titer was 1 : 52. It is concluded that transplacental maternal antibody, even at low concentration, inhibits induction of HI antibody in the vaccinees and therefore measles vaccination must be initiated after 12 months of age in order to achieve successful immunization of the children. Infants who receive the vaccine before their first birthday have to be revaccinated at or after 15 months of age.

PMID: 730390 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 

 
JAMA 1977 Jan 24;237(4):347-51 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Measles immunization. Successes and failures.

Yeager AS, Davis JH, Ross LA, Harvey B.

As a result of a large outbreak of measles, measles hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers were measured in 465 immunized children. Titers of less than 1:4 were found in 14.6% of children immunized at 12 months of age as compared to 5.2% of those immunized at 13 months of age or later. Measles antibody titers were higher in the mothers of seronegative children who had been immunized at 11 or 12 months of age than in the mothers of seroposotive children. Measles HI titers of 1:4 or more were present in 94% of children immunized at 13 months of age or later between 1962 and 1964. The findings suggest that vaccine failure and not waning antibody accounts for the majority of titers of less than 1:4 in immunized children. Reimmunization programs should be considered for those who were immunized before 13 months of age.

PMID: 576165 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

J Pediatr 1977 Nov;91(5):715-8

Related Articles, Books, LinkOut


Persistence of maternal antibody in infants beyond 12 months: mechanism of measles vaccine failure.

Albrecht P, Ennis FA, Saltzman EJ, Krugman S.

A serologic study was made in 34 children immunized against measles at the age of 12 months. Using a sensitive virus neutralization test, it was found that many of the children had pre-existing maternal antibody to measles virus. Children with high pre-existing antibody titers failed to seroconvert. Children with lower pre-existing antibody titers seroconverted, but the resulting antibody titer was significantly lower than in children without pre-existing antibody titer. The results of this study demonstrate a probably mechanism for measles vaccine failure in 12-month-old children and support the recommendation of the Public Health Service Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to postpone measles vaccination to 15 months of age.

PMID: 909009 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

 
Am J Epidemiol 1975 Jun;101(6):527-31 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Measles (rubeola) susceptibility among elementary schoolchildren.

Kalis JM, Quie PG, Balfour HH Jr.

Measles (rubeola) immunity among 479 elementary schoolchildren from suburban Minneapolis was serologically surveyed in December 1971. Of the 479 children, 25 (5.2%) had hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) titers less than 2. These children were considered susceptible to measles. For the 233 immunized children with no measles history, 13 (5.6%) had rubeola HI titers less than 2 while 5 (5.1%) of the 98 youngsters with a history of clinical measles had rubeola HI titers less than 2. Of the 454 immune children, 73 (16%) had measles HI titers between 2 and 8. These findings confirm durable immunity and a low rate of vaccine failure following live attenuated measles vaccination but demonstrate the importance of testing sera beginning at a dilution of 2 in order to detect children with low antibody levels. This survey also suggests that maternal antibody interferes with the active immune response in youngsters immunized when less than 1 year of age because this group of children had significantly lower geometric mean titers and significantly more susceptibles than the children immunized when greater than or minus 2 years.

PMID: 1155431 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Vaccination News Home Page

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.