MEASLES, MUMPS, AND RUBELLA ANTIBODIES IN CHILDREN 5-6 YEARS AFTER IMMUNIZATION - EFFECT OF VACCINE TYPE AND AGE AT VACCINATION

The levels of antibody against measles, mumps, and rubella were determined at 5-6 years postimmunization in 468 children vaccinated with two different trivalent vaccines. The proportions of children without detectable antibody levels were 12 and 3.6% for measles (p<0.001), 14.9 and 7% for mumps (p=0.006), and 3.3 and 3.1% for rubella (p=0.88), respectively, in MMR(R) II and Trivirix(R) recipients. A higher proportion of those vaccinated at younger ages had undetectable or low levels of measles antibody. These data indicate that a large proportion of children vaccinated under routine conditions do not have detectable measles and mumps antibody.