Measles Vaccine

General Description

Measles vaccine is composed of live/attenuated measlesvirus that is grown on chick embryo culture with an attenuationprotocol. Indications are the following:
? Selective induction of active immunity against measlesvirus.
? Trivalent MMR vaccine is the preferred immunizing formfor most children and many adults.
? Almost all children and many adults require more than onedose of MMR.
? Prior to international travel, persons susceptible to any ofthe three viruses should receive the single-antigen vaccineor the trivalent vaccine, as appropriate.
? Most persons born before 1956 are likely to have contractedthe disease naturally and are not considered susceptible.
? Persons born after 1956 or those who lack adequate documentationof having had the disease should be vaccinated.
The vaccine is required by law at 15 months and again at11 to 12 years of age. The vaccine can be administered afterexposure to measles to lessen the disease severity. This isbecause Ab to the vaccine develops in 7 days, while the incubationperiod for the disease is 11 days. The vaccineshould not be administered in pregnancy and should alwaysbe administered with great care to women of childbearingage. Because measles vaccine is cultivated in egg medium,care must be used in patients who are allergic to eggs andegg products. For this reason, a test dose regimen is used.