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Published on: June 24, 2020
Effect of Pentavac and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination on the intestine
B Thjodleifsson1, K Davídsdóttir, U Agnarsson
1Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Hringbraut, Reykjavík, Iceland.
Insights
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination does not cause intestinal inflammation linked to autism. This study found no evidence of gut inflammation after MMR or Pentavac vaccines in infants, refuting the enterocolitis hypothesis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric immunology
- Gastroenterology
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
Background:
- Concerns exist regarding infant vaccination safety, specifically the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
- A hypothesis suggests MMR vaccination causes autism through "enterocolitis" (intestinal inflammation).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between MMR vaccination and subclinical intestinal inflammation.
- To evaluate the "enterocolitis" theory linking gut inflammation to autism post-vaccination.
Main Methods:
- Faecal calprotectin levels were measured in 109/58 infants before and 2-4 weeks after receiving Pentavac and MMR vaccines.
- This marker assesses intestinal inflammation.
Main Results:
- Neither the MMR nor the Pentavac vaccine showed a significant increase in faecal calprotectin levels.
- No evidence of subclinical intestinal inflammation was detected post-vaccination.
Conclusions:
- The study provides evidence against the gut-brain interaction proposed in the autistic "enterocolitis" hypothesis.
- MMR vaccination does not appear to induce the intestinal inflammatory response suggested by the theory.
Background:
The safety of infant vaccination has been questioned in recent years. In particular it has been suggested that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination leads to brain damage manifesting as autism consequent to the development of an "enterocolitis" in the immediate post-vaccination period.
Aim:
To assess if MMR vaccination is associated with subclinical intestinal inflammation, which is central to the autistic "enterocolitis" theory.
Methods:
We studied 109/58 infants, before and two and four weeks after immunisation with Pentavac and MMR vaccines, for the presence of intestinal inflammation (faecal calprotectin).
Results:
Neither vaccination was associated with any significant increase in faecal calprotectin concentrations.
Conclusions:
The failure of the MMR vaccination to cause an intestinal inflammatory response provides evidence against the proposed gut-brain interaction that is central to the autistic "enterocolitis" hypothesis.
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