Early Measles Vaccination During an Outbreak in the Netherlands: Short-Term and Long-Term Decreases in Antibody Responses Among Children Vaccinated Before 12 Months of Age.

Background: The majority of infants will not be protected by maternal antibodies until their first measles vaccination, between 12 and 15 months of age. This provides incentive to reduce the age at measles vaccination, but immunological consequences are insufficiently understood, and long-term effects are largely unknown.

Methods: A total of 79 infants who received early measles vaccination between 6 and 12 months age and a second dose at 14 months of age were compared to 44 children in a control group who received 1 dose at 14 months of age.