Abstract
Summary
Hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies were present at comparable levels 10 years after vaccination with Enders'original Edmonston and more attenuated Moraten (Attenuvax) and Schwarz line measles vaccines. There was no substantial decline in neutralizing antibody titer for nearly 12 years after administration of Jeryl Lynn strain mumps virus vaccine (Mumpsvax). Hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies were present without important decline in amount for at least 9.5 and 9 years, respectively, in children and adult women after administration of HPV-77 duck cell modified rubella vaccine (Meruvax). Higher homologous antibody titers were achieved initially following less attenuated Enders’Edmonston measles vaccine compared with more attenuated Moraten line vaccine and following natural mumps compared with mumps vaccine. Approximately 10 years later, however, the mean titers were roughly the same in each instance, indicating no apparent advantage of more virulent vaccine virus or natural infection in providing immunity. In our opinion, the relatively small number of purported measles virus vaccination failures reported in recent years were due mostly to mishandling or misadministration of the vaccine and not to deficiencies in measles vaccine itself.
The authors are indebted to G. Starkweather, M.D., K. Campbell, B.S., R.N., J. Campbell, R.N., J. Laughead, R.N., and C. Rothenberger, R.N., for valuable medical assistance. S. Brown, B.S., H. Darmofal, B.S., M. Hoover, B.A., R. Roehm, B.S., and J. Deviney provided important technical assistance.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.