Measles, mumps, and rubella antibodies in vaccinated Baltimore children

J. C. King Jr, R. Lichenstein, S. Feigelman, C. Luna, T. J. Permutt and J. Patel
Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore.

OBJECTIVE--To determine quantitative measles, mumps, and rubella serum antibody levels as a function of time since vaccination in a sample of vaccinated Baltimore children. DESIGN--Cross-sectional serologic survey. SETTING--Pediatric outpatient departments at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore. PARTICIPANTS--One hundred seventy children, ranging in age from 1.5 through 16 years, who had measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination between ages 12 and 18 months. RESULTS--Serum antibody levels to measles and rubella declined with increasing time since vaccination. However, no such decline in antibody levels to mumps was observed. Children who were vaccinated between ages 12 and 14 months did not have lower antibody levels than children who were vaccinated at age 15 months or older. CONCLUSIONS--In areas free from natural disease, antibody levels resultant from measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine are likely to decline with advancing age. Revaccination with measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine may boost falling antibody titers.