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Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics Dec 2021Measles is an important vaccine preventable disease with significant morbidity and mortality. Although measles vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine available...
Measles is an important vaccine preventable disease with significant morbidity and mortality. Although measles vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine available worldwide for more than 50 years, still immunization efforts have not successfully reached the WHO goal of 95% vaccination coverage. Hesitancy is especially increased amongst parents of children with chronic conditions. Contraindications for measles-containing vaccines are well defined and include history of anaphylactic reactions to neomycin, history of severe allergic reaction to previous vaccination, pregnancy, and severe immunosuppression. Concurrently, precautions for measles-containing vaccines include amongst other, history of thrombocytopenia or thrombocytopenic purpura and personal or family history of seizures of any etiology. This article aims to address misconceptions on measles vaccine safety and review data on adverse events among special groups of subjects at increased risk following measles immunization.
Topics: Child; Humans; Immunization; Infant; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Vaccination; Vaccination Coverage
PubMed: 34788199
DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2021.1997034 -
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... May 2024
Topics: Humans; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Canada
PubMed: 38802137
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.240415-f -
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... May 2024
Topics: Humans; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Vaccination; Canada
PubMed: 38802135
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.240371-f -
Virus Genes Oct 2017The classic development of vaccines is lengthy, tedious, and may not necessarily be successful as demonstrated by the case of HIV. This is especially a problem for... (Review)
Review
The classic development of vaccines is lengthy, tedious, and may not necessarily be successful as demonstrated by the case of HIV. This is especially a problem for emerging pathogens that are newly introduced into the human population and carry the inherent risk of pandemic spread in a naïve population. For such situations, a considerable number of different platform technologies are under development. These are also under development for pathogens, where directly derived vaccines are regarded as too complicated or even dangerous due to the induction of inefficient or unwanted immune responses causing considerable side-effects as for dengue virus. Among platform technologies are plasmid-based DNA vaccines, RNA replicons, single-round infectious vector particles, or replicating vaccine-based vectors encoding (a) critical antigen(s) of the target pathogens. Among the latter, recombinant measles viruses derived from vaccine strains have been tested. Measles vaccines are among the most effective and safest life-attenuated vaccines known. Therefore, the development of Schwarz-, Moraten-, or AIK-C-strain derived recombinant vaccines against a wide range of mostly viral, but also bacterial pathogens was quite straightforward. These vaccines generally induce powerful humoral and cellular immune responses in appropriate animal models, i.e., transgenic mice or non-human primates. Also in the recent first clinical phase I trial, the results have been quite encouraging. The trial indicated the expected safety and efficacy also in human patients, interestingly independent from the level of prevalent anti-measles immunity before the trial. Thereby, recombinant measles vaccines expressing additional antigens are a promising platform for future vaccines.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Measles virus; Vaccines, Attenuated; Vaccines, Synthetic; Viral Vaccines
PubMed: 28710608
DOI: 10.1007/s11262-017-1486-3 -
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics Nov 2021The 2014-15 Disneyland measles outbreak that began at the California theme park in December 2014 sparked an international conversation regarding measles, vaccine... (Review)
Review
The 2014-15 Disneyland measles outbreak that began at the California theme park in December 2014 sparked an international conversation regarding measles, vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine policies. The outbreak capped a year with the highest number of measles cases reported in two decades and came amidst increasing trends in nonmedical vaccine exemptions in California and elsewhere. Because of its sensational story line and spread among unvaccinated populations, the outbreak received a high level of media coverage that focused on vaccine hesitancy as a primary driver of the outbreak. This media coverage and the ostensible public support for vaccines that followed led some to hypothesize that the outbreak might have a "Disneyland effect," or a positive influence on the uptake of pediatric measles vaccine. This article reviews the facts of the outbreak and its context, and explores the evidence for the Disneyland outbreak causing an influence on U.S. pediatric vaccine-related beliefs and behaviors.
Topics: Child; Disease Outbreaks; Humans; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Vaccination; Vaccination Hesitancy
PubMed: 34495822
DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2021.1972707 -
Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal =... Nov 2019In 2019, upon reviewing countries' reports, the regional verification commission for measles and rubella elimination declared elimination of measles and rubella in...
In 2019, upon reviewing countries' reports, the regional verification commission for measles and rubella elimination declared elimination of measles and rubella in Bahrain, Islamic Republic of Iran and Oman. This achievement in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) constitutes a major success, since it occurs at a time when there remain highly challenging situations in several countries of the Region. In addition, there are unprecedented high transmission rates of measles throughout the world, with other World Health Organization (WHO) regions either not progressing (status quo) or regressing. Indeed, the WHO Region of the Americas and several other countries have in fact lost the status of measles elimination.
Topics: Humans; Immunization Programs; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Middle East; Population Surveillance; Rubella; Rubella Vaccine; Vaccination Coverage; World Health Organization
PubMed: 31774131
DOI: 10.26719/2019.25.10.667 -
Vaccine Nov 2021All WHO regions have set measles elimination objective for 2020. To address the specific needs of achieving measles elimination, Nigeria is using a strategy focusing on... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
All WHO regions have set measles elimination objective for 2020. To address the specific needs of achieving measles elimination, Nigeria is using a strategy focusing on improving vaccination coverage with the first routine dose of (monovalent) measles (MCV1) at 9 months, providing measles vaccine through supplemental immunization activities (children 9-59 months), and intensified measles case-based surveillance system.
METHODS
We reviewed measles immunization coverage from population-based surveys conducted in 2010, 2013 and 2017-18. Additionally, we analyzed measles case-based surveillance reports from 2008-2018 to determine annual, regional and age-specific incidence rates.
FINDINGS
Survey results indicated low MCV1 coverage (54.0% in 2018); with lower coverage in the North (mean 45.5%). Of the 153,097 confirmed cases reported over the studied period, 85.5% (130,871) were from the North. Moreover, 70.8% (108,310) of the confirmed cases were unvaccinated. Annual measles incidence varied from a high of 320.39 per 1,000,000 population in 2013 to a low of 9.80 per 1,000,000 in 2009. The incidence rate is higher among the 9-11 months (524.0 per million) and 12-59 months (376.0 per million). Between 2008 and 2018, the incidence rate had showed geographical variation, with higher incidence in the North (70.6 per million) compare to the South (17.8 per million).
CONCLUSION
The aim of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of measles vaccine coverage and incidence in Nigeria from 2008 to 2018 to assess country progress towards measles elimination. Although the total numbers of confirmed measles cases had decreased over the time period, measles routine coverage remains sub-optimal, and the incidence rates are critically high. The high burden of measles in the North highlight the need for region-specific interventions. The measles program relies heavily on polio resources. As the polio program winds down, strong commitments will be required to achieve elimination goals.
Topics: Child; Disease Eradication; Humans; Immunization Programs; Incidence; Infant; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Nigeria; Population Surveillance; Vaccination; Vaccination Coverage
PubMed: 33875267
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.03.095 -
Medical Microbiology and Immunology Jun 2016Measles virus (MeV) is an aerosol-borne and one of the most contagious pathogenic viruses known. Almost every MeV infection becomes clinically manifest and can lead to... (Review)
Review
Measles virus (MeV) is an aerosol-borne and one of the most contagious pathogenic viruses known. Almost every MeV infection becomes clinically manifest and can lead to serious and even fatal complications, especially under conditions of malnutrition in developing countries, where still 115,000 to 160,000 patients die from measles every year. There is no specific antiviral treatment. In addition, MeV infections cause long-lasting memory B and T cell impairment, predisposing people susceptible to opportunistic infections for years. A rare, but fatal long-term consequence of measles is subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Fifteen years ago (2001), WHO has launched a programme to eliminate measles by a worldwide vaccination strategy. This is promising, because MeV is a human-specific morbillivirus (i.e. without relevant animal reservoir), safe and potent vaccine viruses are sufficiently produced since decades for common application, and millions of vaccine doses have been used globally without any indications of safety and efficacy issues. Though the prevalence of wild-type MeV infection has decreased by >90 % in Europe, measles is still not eliminated and has even re-emerged with recurrent outbreaks in developed countries, in which effective vaccination programmes had been installed for decades. Here, we discuss the crucial factors for a worldwide elimination of MeV: (1) efficacy of current vaccines, (2) the extremely high contagiosity of MeV demanding a >95 % vaccination rate based on two doses to avoid primary vaccine failure as well as the installation of catch-up vaccination programmes to fill immunity gaps and to achieve herd immunity, (3) the implications of sporadic cases of secondary vaccine failure, (4) organisation, acceptance and drawbacks of modern vaccination campaigns, (5) waning public attention to measles, but increasing concerns from vaccine-associated adverse reactions in societies with high socio-economic standards and (6) clinical, epidemiological and virological surveillance by the use of modern laboratory diagnostics and reporting systems. By consequent implementation of carefully designed epidemiologic and prophylactic measures, it should be possible to eradicate MeV globally out of mankind, as the closely related morbillivirus of rinderpest could be successfully eliminated out of the cattle on a global scale.
Topics: Disease Eradication; Epidemiological Monitoring; Global Health; Humans; Immunization Schedule; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Vaccination
PubMed: 26935826
DOI: 10.1007/s00430-016-0451-4 -
Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews Dec 2020The study of measles virus (MeV) as a cancer immunotherapeutic was prompted by clinical observations of leukemia and lymphoma regressions in patients following measles... (Review)
Review
The study of measles virus (MeV) as a cancer immunotherapeutic was prompted by clinical observations of leukemia and lymphoma regressions in patients following measles virus infection in the 1970s and 1980s. Since then, numerous preclinical studies have confirmed the oncolytic activity of MeV vaccine strains as well as their potential to promote long-lasting tumor-specific immune responses. Early clinical data indicate that some of these effects may translate to the treatment of cancer patients. In this review, we provide a structured summary of current evidence for the anti-tumor immune activity of oncolytic MeV. We start with an overview of MeV oncolysis and MeV-induced immunogenic cell death. Next, we relate findings on MeV-mediated activation of antigen-presenting cells, T cell priming and effector mechanisms to the cancer immunity cycle. We discuss additional factors in the tumor microenvironment which are modulated by MeV treatment as well as the role of anti-viral immunity. Based on these findings, we highlight avenues for rational enhancement of oncolytic MeV immunotherapy by vector engineering. We further point to advantages and drawbacks of experimental models and propose areas warranting promising research. Lastly, we review the available immunomonitoring data from several Phase I clinical trials. While this review presents data for MeV, the concepts and principles introduced herein apply to other oncolytic viruses, providing a framework to assess novel cancer immunotherapies.
Topics: Humans; Immunotherapy; Measles Vaccine; Measles virus; Oncolytic Virotherapy; Oncolytic Viruses
PubMed: 32660751
DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.07.009 -
MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly... Oct 2021Endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2020, the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) strives to reduce morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases across...
Endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2020, the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) strives to reduce morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases across the life course (1). This report, which updates a previous report (2), presents global, regional,* and national vaccination coverage estimates and trends as of 2020. Changes are described in vaccination coverage and the numbers of unvaccinated and undervaccinated children as measured by receipt of the first and third doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis-containing vaccine (DTP) in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, compared with 2019. Global estimates of coverage with the third dose of DTP (DTP3) and a polio vaccine (Pol3) decreased from 86% in 2019 to 83% in 2020. Similarly, coverage with the first dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) dropped from 86% in 2019 to 84% in 2020. The last year that coverage estimates were at 2020 levels was 2009 for DTP3 and 2014 for both MCV1 and Pol3. Worldwide, 22.7 million children (17% of the target population) were not vaccinated with DTP3 in 2020 compared with 19.0 million (14%) in 2019. Children who did not receive the first DTP dose (DTP1) by age 12 months (zero-dose children) accounted for 95% of the increased number. Among those who did not receive DTP3 in 2020, approximately 17.1 million (75%) were zero-dose children. Global coverage decreased in 2020 compared with 2019 estimates for the completed series of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis B vaccine (HepB), human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV), and rubella-containing vaccine (RCV). Full recovery from COVID-19-associated disruptions will require targeted, context-specific strategies to identify and catch up zero-dose and undervaccinated children, introduce interventions to minimize missed vaccinations, monitor coverage, and respond to program setbacks (3).
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; Global Health; Goals; Humans; Immunization Programs; Immunization Schedule; Infant; Measles Vaccine; Poliovirus Vaccines; Vaccination Coverage; Vaccines; World Health Organization
PubMed: 34710074
DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7043a1