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Immunogenicity and safety of measles vaccine in ill African children
A Ndikuyeze1, A Munoz, J Stewart
1National University of Rwanda, Butare.
Insights
Children with acute illnesses can be safely immunized with measles vaccine, showing similar immunogenicity to healthy children. This finding supports updated immunization policies to increase measles vaccine coverage in developing nations.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Measles remains a significant public health concern in developing countries, particularly among young children.
- Current immunization policies often exclude children with acute illnesses, potentially limiting vaccine coverage.
- Understanding the immunogenicity and safety of measles vaccination in ill children is crucial for optimizing public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the immunogenicity and safety of live, attenuated measles vaccine in acutely ill versus well children in Rwanda.
- To provide evidence supporting potential policy changes regarding measles immunization for children with acute illnesses.
Main Methods:
- A concurrent prospective study involving 518 children aged 8-19 months from two Rwandan clinics.
- Children were categorized as either acutely ill or well at the time of enrollment.
- Serological tests were conducted before and 40 days post-immunization to assess seroconversion rates and side effects.
Main Results:
- Seroconversion rates for measles vaccine were high and comparable in both groups: 81% in ill children and 80% in well children.
- Adverse side effects were modest and occurred with similar frequency in both groups (15.4% in ill vs. 15.1% in well children).
Conclusions:
- Live, attenuated measles vaccine is immunogenic and safe in acutely ill children, similar to well children.
- These findings support revising immunization policies to include children with acute illnesses, thereby increasing overall measles vaccine coverage.
- Implementing such policy changes can significantly reduce the burden of measles in developing countries.
Abstract:
A concurrent prospective study was conducted in Rwanda to compare the immunogenicity and safety of live, attenuated measles vaccine in ill and well children. Five hundred and eighteen children aged 8 to 19 months were selected from children attending the acute care and immunization services of two clinics. Two hundred and sixty-seven ill children and 251 well children were enrolled and examined. Serological tests were performed on blood samples obtained before and 40 days after measles immunization. Among the 208 ill children and 215 well children who were seronegative at baseline and had unequivocal follow-up serological results, seroconversion rates were 81% and 80%, respectively. Side effects were modest and were equally frequent in the two study groups (15.4% among ill children versus 15.1% among well children). These results support a change in measles immunization policy in developing countries with respect to immunization of children with acute illnesses. Such a change would make a great contribution to decreasing the enormous burden of measles in the developing world through increased immunization coverage.