The clinical and antibody response to live attenuated measles-virus vaccine observations in the Philippines 1966-1967 (985 vaccines)

ABSTRACT

1. In 1966 a group of 985 individuals from different localities in the Philippines were vaccinated with Beckenham 31 strain of chick-adapted live attenuated measles virus vaccine, by one single dose injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly2. Of this group, it was possible to follow-up closely 528 individuals. The most important clinical reactions were fever (53.2%), rash (25.8%), respiratory symptom (15.9%) and tonsilitis (8.1%)3. "Vaccine-induced" measles causes mild brief symptoms as compared to "natural" measles, in patients who were observed simultaneously in the hospital4. The sero-conversion rate in 185 vaccinees showed a very good rise in 65% and a less significant rise in 21%5. Only 10.8% of the vaccinees gave no rise and these were among those who had an active immunity or detectable amounts of antibody prior to vaccination. On the whole the antibody response was good6. In this study we have enough evidence to show that immunization with the attenuated live measles virus vaccine is safe and serologically effective. (Summary and conclusions)n