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Clinical efficacy of measles vaccine during the 1990 measles epidemic

G E King1, L E Markowitz, P A Patriarca

  • 1Division of Immunization Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|December 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

The current measles vaccine remains highly effective, demonstrating 95% efficacy in a 1989-1990 study. This indicates the measles epidemic occurred despite the vaccine

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Vaccinology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Increased measles incidence in the U.S. during 1989-1990.
  • Genomic differences observed between vaccine and wild measles viruses.
  • Need to reassess current measles vaccine effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Determine if the current measles vaccine had become less effective.
  • Evaluate measles vaccine efficacy in young children.
  • Assess effectiveness of postexposure interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Household secondary attack rate study.
  • Involved 203 California children aged 1-5 years.
  • Compared vaccinated and unvaccinated children.

Main Results:

  • Vaccine efficacy was 95% (95% CI: 89%-97%).
  • Secondary attack rates were 4.2% for vaccinated and 77.8% for unvaccinated children.
  • Low protective efficacy for postexposure vaccination (4%) and Immune Globulin (8%).

Conclusions:

  • Current measles vaccine efficacy is similar to previous years.
  • High vaccine effectiveness did not prevent the 1989-1990 measles epidemic.
  • Measles outbreaks can occur despite high vaccine coverage.

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