Scientific Publications by FDA Staff

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2007 Mar;161(3):294-301

Persistence of Measles Antibodies After 2 Doses of Measles Vaccine in a Postelimination Environment.

Lebaron CW, Beeler J, Sullivan BJ, Forghani B, Bi D, Beck C, Audet S, Gargiullo P

LeBaron CW (reprint author), Ctr Dis Control & Prevent, Div Viral Dis, Natl Ctr Immunizat & Resp Dis, Mail Stop A-47, Atlanta, GA 30333 USA Ctr Dis Control & Prevent, Div Viral Dis, Natl Ctr Immunizat & Resp Dis, Atlanta, GA 30333 USA US FDA, Div Viral Prod, Bethesda, MD 20014 USA Marshfield Clin Med Res Fdn, Marshfield, WI USA Calif Dept Hlth Serv, Viral & Rickettsial Dis Lab Branch, Div Communicable Dis Control, Richmond, CA USA

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the persistence of measles antibodies after 2 doses of measles vaccine in a setting where exposure to wild-type measles was unlikely. Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, an achievement attributed to effective implementation of a routine 2-dose vaccination policy. Some have questioned whether measles transmission could resume if immunity wanes in the absence of boosting from wild-type measles. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, volunteer cohort study. SETTING: Rural Wisconsin health maintenance organization. PARTICIPANTS: Children who received the second measles vaccine dose at kindergarten (aged 4-6 years) or middle school (aged 10-12 years) in 1994 or 1995. Serum samples were collected periodically during a 10-year period for the kindergarten group and a 5-year period for the middle school group. Intervention Second dose of measles vaccine. Main Outcome Measure Measles antibody levels were assessed by plaque-reduction neutralization: titers less than 8 mIU/mL were considered seronegative and suggestive of susceptibility to measles, and titers of 120 mIU/mL or less were considered low and suggestive of potential susceptibility. RESULTS: During the study period, no measles was reported in the study area. Voluntary attrition reduced the study population from 621 at enrollment to 364 (58.6%) by study end. Before the second dose, 3.1% (19/621) had low titers, of whom 74% (14/19) were antibody-negative, with geometric mean titers being significantly higher in kindergarteners (1559 mIU/mL) than in middle schoolers (757 mIU/mL) and rates of negativity significantly lower (1.0% [3/312] vs 3.6% [11/309]). One month after the second dose, 0.2% (1/612) had low titers and none was seronegative, with geometric mean titers being significantly higher in kindergarteners (2814 mIU/mL) than in middle schoolers (1672 mIU/mL). By study end, 4.9% (18/364) had low titers and none was seronegative, with no significant difference in geometric mean titers between kindergarteners (641 mIU/mL) and middle schoolers (737 mIU/mL) when both groups were aged 15 years. Projections suggest that the proportion of persons with low antibody levels may increase over time. CONCLUSIONS: Measles antibody persisted in all vaccinees available for follow-up 10 years after a second dose of vaccine, with no seronegative results detected. Declining titers suggest the need for vigilance in ensuring disease protection for the vaccinated population.