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Measles, mumps, and rubella antibodies in vaccinated Baltimore children
J C King1, R Lichenstein, S Feigelman
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore.
Insights
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine antibody levels in children decrease over time, particularly for measles and rubella. Mumps antibody levels remained stable, suggesting potential benefits of MMR revaccination to boost immunity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric immunology
- Vaccinology
- Public health
Background:
- Maintaining protective antibody titers after childhood vaccination is crucial for preventing infectious diseases.
- Understanding the long-term immunogenicity of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is essential for public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess serum antibody levels for measles, mumps, and rubella in vaccinated children.
- To examine the relationship between time since vaccination and antibody levels.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional serologic survey was conducted.
- 170 children aged 1.5 to 16 years, vaccinated between 12 and 18 months, were included.
Main Results:
- Measles and rubella antibody levels showed a decline with increasing time post-vaccination.
- Mumps antibody levels did not demonstrate a similar decline.
- Vaccination timing between 12-14 months versus 15+ months did not significantly impact antibody levels.
Conclusions:
- Antibody levels from the MMR vaccine may decrease with age in disease-free areas.
- Revaccination with the MMR vaccine could be considered to enhance waning antibody titers.
Objective:
To determine quantitative measles, mumps, and rubella serum antibody levels as a function of time since vaccination in a sample of vaccinated Baltimore children.
Design:
Cross-sectional serologic survey.
Setting:
Pediatric outpatient departments at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore.
Participants:
One hundred seventy children, ranging in age from 1.5 through 16 years, who had measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination between ages 12 and 18 months.
Results:
Serum antibody levels to measles and rubella declined with increasing time since vaccination. However, no such decline in antibody levels to mumps was observed. Children who were vaccinated between ages 12 and 14 months did not have lower antibody levels than children who were vaccinated at age 15 months or older.
Conclusions:
In areas free from natural disease, antibody levels resultant from measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine are likely to decline with advancing age. Revaccination with measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine may boost falling antibody titers.