IMMUNOLOGICAL BASIS FOR IMMUNIZATION: MEASLES (UPDATE 2009).

Tuesday, 24th of September 2013

[source]WHO/IVB Publication[|source]

This module is part of the series “The Immunological Basis for Immunization”, which was initially developed in 1993 as a set of eight modules focusing on the vaccines included in the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). It is therefore the latest publication available on measles vaccination. In addition to a general immunology module, there are seven other modules that covered one of the vaccines recommended as part of the EPI programme namely: diphtheria, measles, pertussis, polio, tetanus, tuberculosis and yellow fever.

These modules have become some of the most widely used documents in the field of immunization. The main purpose of the modules, which are published as separate disease/vaccine specific modules, is to give immunization managers and vaccination professionals a brief and easy to understand overview of the scientific basis of vaccination, and also of the immunological basis for the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on vaccine use that, since 1998, have been published in the Vaccine Position Papers. More details on recent measles immunization updates are available at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241597555_eng.pdf

 

Abstract

The live attenuated measles vaccines currently used have a history of proven safety and effectiveness over the past 40 years, and have resulted in dramatic reductions in measles incidence, morbidity and mortality. However, the vaccines currently used have some limitations. The ideal measles vaccine would be inexpensive, safe, heat-stable, immunogenic in neonates or very young infants, and administered as a single dose without needle or syringe. The age at vaccination would ideally coincide with other vaccines in the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) schedule to maximize compliance and share resources. Finally, a new vaccine should not prime individuals for atypical measles upon exposure of immunized individuals to wild type measles virus (MV) (a complication of formalin inactivated measles vaccines), and should not be associated with prolonged immunosuppression, adversely affecting immune responses to subsequent infections (a complication of high-titre measles vaccines).