Decreased measles antibody response after measles-mumps-rubella vaccine in infants with colds

Article Abstract:

Measles is on the rise in the United States, and some of the reported cases have occurred in people who were presumed to have been adequately vaccinated in childhood. These vaccine failures have been thought to be primary, that is, as the result of the initial vaccine having been ineffective, rather than secondary, in which the vaccine was adequate, but the patient's immunity declined over time. One theory as to why a vaccine might fail to induce immunity is that an existing viral illness might interfere with the vaccine's effectiveness. A group of children in a well-baby clinic coming in for their routine vaccinations with the measles-mumps-rubella combined vaccine were divided into two groups, those who were perfectly healthy and those who were suffering from colds when seen. A blood sample was obtained six to eight weeks after the vaccination occurred, and the measles antibody level measured, to see how well the vaccine had taken. Of the 51 healthy children, only one failed to develop the protective measles antibodies. However, 10 of the 47 children with colds (21 percent) did not develop sufficient measles antibodies. The study thus shows that children who have colds at the time of vaccination are far more likely to experience primary vaccine failure than those who are well when vaccinated. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Complications and side effects, Children, Vaccination of children, Vaccination, Measles vaccine, Measles vaccines

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Prevalence of hepatitis B markers and measles, mumps, and rubella antibodies among Jewish refugees from the former Soviet Union

Article Abstract:

Jewish refugees from the former Soviet Union appear to have a low rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and many younger refugees may lack immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella. Researchers took blood samples from 496 refugees who emigrated to the US from the Soviet Union. Of these, 22% had markers of past HBV infection. The rate of present, infectious HBV disease was 0.4%. As refugees' age increased, the rates of past and present HBV infection increased. Four percent of refugees who were younger than age 20 and 31% of those between the ages of 50 and 59 had markers of past HBV infection. Fourteen percent of the refugees did not have antibodies to measles, mumps, and rubella. Those younger than age 30 were at least twice as likely to lack these antibodies as older refugees. Refugees' geographic origin was not related to the rate of HBV infection or to the absence of antibodies to measles, mumps, and rubella.

Health aspects, Physiological aspects, Demographic aspects, Emigration and immigration, Measles, Hepatitis B, Former Soviet Union, Mumps, Refugees, Jewish, Jewish refugees

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Rubella Among Hispanic Adults--Kansas, 1998, and Nebraska, 1999

Article Abstract:

Most cases of rubella in the US occur in people born in another country where rubella vaccination is not common. Rubella is the medical word for German measles. Between 1996 and 1998, there were 14 rubella outbreaks in the US. Half of the outbreaks occurred at food processing plants or other food industries that hire mostly foreign workers. In Kansas, 35 people developed rubella in 1998 and 53 people developed rubella in Nebraska in 1999. None of the people had been vaccinated against rubella.

Statistical Data Included, Statistics

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