Skip to main content
The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine logoLink to The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine
. 1982 May-Aug;55(3-4):351–360.

The role of herd immunity in control of measles.

F L Black
PMCID: PMC2596463  PMID: 7180027

Abstract

Measles vaccine cannot give high sero-conversion rates in developing countries. The high birth rates characteristic of these countries lead to infection at a very early age, thus making it difficult to vaccinate before exposure to the disease. Nevertheless, if given early in life, the vaccine can reduce the rate of virus circulation and thus raise the age at which children are infected. Once that is done, higher sero-conversion rates can be obtained by raising the age at vaccination. During the period when vaccine is given at an early age, the titers in responding children will be low, and this will leave children of the next generation with little protection. It is important, therefore, that if vaccine is used early the program be intensively and consistently applied to control virus circulation before the next generation is born.

Full text

PDF
360

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BLACK F. L. Measles antibody prevalence in diverse populations. Am J Dis Child. 1962 Mar;103:242–249. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1962.02080020254011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Baruzzi R. G., Abdala N., Black F. L. Measles and measles vaccination in isolated Amerindian tribes. II. The 1978/79 Xingu epidemic. Trop Geogr Med. 1982 Mar;34(1):7–12. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. DIXON F. J., TALMAGE D. W., MAURER P. H., DEICHMILLER M. The half-life on homologous gamma globulin (antibody) in several species. J Exp Med. 1952 May;95(5):313–318. doi: 10.1084/jem.96.4.313. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Deseda-Tous J., Cherry J. D., Spencer M. J., Welliver R. C., Boyer K. M., Dudley J. P., Zahradnik J. M., Krause P. J., Walbergh E. W. Measles revaccination. Persistence and degree of antibody titer by type of immune response. Am J Dis Child. 1978 Mar;132(3):287–290. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1978.02120280071015. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Linnemann C. C., Jr, Dine M. S., Bloom J. E., Schiff G. M. Measles antibody in previously immunized children. The need for revaccination. Am J Dis Child. 1972 Jul;124(1):53–57. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1972.02110130055008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Linnemann C. C., Jr, Dine M. S., Roselle G. A., Askey P. A. Measles immunity after revaccination: results in children vaccinated before 10 months of age. Pediatrics. 1982 Mar;69(3):332–335. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Schluederberg A., Lamm S. H., Landrigan P. J., Black F. L. Measles immunity in children vaccinated before one year of age. Am J Epidemiol. 1973 Jun;97(6):402–409. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a121521. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Smith F. R., Curran A. S., Raciti K. A., Black F. L. Reported measles in persons immunologically primed by prior vaccination. J Pediatr. 1982 Sep;101(3):391–393. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(82)80064-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Wilkins J., Wehrle P. F. Additional evidence against measles vaccine administration to infants less than 12 months of age: altered immune response following active/passive immunization. J Pediatr. 1979 Jun;94(6):865–869. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(79)80203-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Wilkins J., Wehrle P. F., Portnoy B. Live, further attenuated rubella vaccine. Serologic responses among term and low birth weight infants. Am J Dis Child. 1972 Mar;123(3):190–192. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1972.02110090060002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. van Mazijk J., Pinheiro F. P., Black F. L. Measles and measles vaccine isolated amerindian tribes. I. The 1971 Trio ((Tiriyo) epidemic. Trop Geogr Med. 1982 Mar;34(1):3–6. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine are provided here courtesy of Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine

RESOURCES