Should the Second Dose of Measles Vaccine be Performed at an Earlier Age?

¹Pediatrician, Department of Pediatrics, Ufuk University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
²Professor in Biochemistry, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Acıbadem University, Ankara, Turkey.

Corresponding Author: Demet Altun, Department of Pediatrics, Ufuk University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey, Tel: +90
547 491 4749; Email: [email protected]

Received Date: 24 Jan 2017
Accepted Date: 08 Feb 2017
Published Date: 13 Feb 2017
Copyright © 2017 Altun D
Citation: Erkan VB, Altun D, Serdar MA and Sarici SU. (2017). Should the Second Dose of Measles Vaccine be Performed at an Earlier Age. M J Pedi. 2(1): 008.

ABSTRACT
Background/Aims: An increase in the incidence of measles has recently been detected in our country because of migrations from neighboring countries. In this study, it was aimed to investigate whether performing the second dose of the measles vaccine at 4 years of age instead of 6 years of age would be more appropriate by comparatively measuring measles antibody titers in children aged 4 and 6 years who had not yet been vaccinated with the second dose of the measles vaccine.
Methods: Measles IgG antibody titers were measured in 48 case saged 4 years (Group I) and 43 cases aged 6 years (Group II) who had both previously been vaccinated with only one dose of the measles vaccine at 12 months of age according to routine immunization program of Ministry of Health and had not yet been vaccinated with a second dose of the vaccine.
Results: Mean measles antibody titers of Group I and II were 193,7 ± 49,8 IU/mland 106,1 ± 48,6 IU/ml, respectively, and mean IgG titer was statistically significantly higher in Group I when compared to Group II (p=0,001).Performing the second dose of measles vaccine at 4 years of age instead of 6 years of age is an early rappel and does not contribute to an increase in seropositivity according to results of our study.
Conclusion: The rappel dose of vaccine may be postponed to a further age, and further studies should be performed in further age groups in order to determine this critical age limit at which the second dose of measles vaccine is necessary.
KEYWORDS
Measles Vaccine; Immunization; Immunoglobulin