Vaccination with measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and varicella vaccine: safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, persistence of antibody and duration of protection against varicella in healthy children.

Background: Administration of M-M-R II (Measles, Mumps and Rubella Virus Vaccine, Live) and VARIVAX [Varicella Virus Vaccine Live (Oka/Merck)] given concomitantly at separate injection sites during the same office visit could increase vaccine compliance by reducing the number of health care visits for immunizations. We compared the safety and immunogenicity of M-M-R II and VARIVAX given concomitantly at separate sites (Group A) with administration of the two vaccines 6 weeks apart (Group B) as well as the persistence of varicella antibody and the duration of protection afforded by varicella vaccine.

Methods: A total of 603 healthy children, ages 12 months to 6 years, with no history of measles, mumps, rubella, varicella and zoster or vaccination against these diseases, were randomized to either Group A or B and were followed for clinical reactions and serologic responses to all four viral components.