Vacunación en masa contra el sarampión en Chile con la vacuna de virus atenuado de enders / Mass measles vaccination in Chile with enders attenuated virus vaccine

ABSTRACT

In view of the promising results of previous studies, a measles vaccination campaign with Enders attenuated virus vaccine (Edmonston B strain) was undertaken in Chile. The program was carried out in Santiago and in the southern provinces. Up to April 1964, 85,000 children under the age of five had been vaccinated. Between 10 and 12 per cent of the children vaccinated had postvaccinal variations, in particular eruptions or high fever. It was noted that there was a difference in the reactions produced by vaccines from different batches. There were 26 cases of postvaccinal complications but all quickly recovered. In addition, there were two cases of encephalitis but they also recovered. The epidemiological evaluation of the program was based on the observation of a group of 2,000 children vaccinated prior to 1 July 1965 who were compared with a control group. In the control group only cases of measles occurring after the above-mentioned date were taken into account. Whereas only seven cases of measles were reported in the vaccinated group, none of which were fatal, there were 464 cases in the control group, 25 of which were fatal. These results are an eloquent testimony of the value of mass measles vaccination with Enders attenuated virus vaccine (Edmonston B strain)