-
The Lancet. Global Health Feb 2022Measles virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are two important global health pathogens causing substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. The current measles...
Measles virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are two important global health pathogens causing substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. The current measles vaccination schedule has the first dose given at 9-12 months of age and the second dose given at 15-18 months of age. Measles outbreaks have been associated with an increase in severe RSV infections in children younger than 6 months, probably as a result of measles-induced immunosuppression. A resurgence in measles cases was already occurring before the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected global immunisation programmes, resulting in millions of children, mostly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), missing out on their measles vaccine. This will leave many children living in the most vulnerable of circumstances highly susceptible to measles and RSV infections when current COVID-19 public health control measures are lifted. This Viewpoint discusses these issues and highlights the need for urgent action to address this looming crisis. The use of early measles vaccination at 4 months of age could be an effective strategy to prevent severe morbidity and death from both measles and RSV infections in many LMICs.
Topics: COVID-19; Developing Countries; Global Health; Humans; Immunocompetence; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Pandemics; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 34953518
DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00464-2 -
The Lancet. Public Health May 2024
Topics: Humans; Measles; Prisons; Jails; Measles Vaccine; Prisoners
PubMed: 38614107
DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(24)00074-4 -
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics Dec 2022Developing and implementing new immunization policies in response to shifting epidemiology is a critical public health component. We adopted a mixed-methods approach... (Review)
Review
Developing and implementing new immunization policies in response to shifting epidemiology is a critical public health component. We adopted a mixed-methods approach (via narrative literature review [101 articles] and 9 semi-structured interviews) to evaluate policy development in response to shifting measles epidemiology in six European countries (Italy, Belgium, Germany, Romania, UK, and Ukraine); where policies and strategies have evolved in response to country-specific disease and vaccination patterns. Periodic outbreaks have occurred in all countries against a background of declining measles-containing-vaccine (MCV) uptake and increasing public vaccine hesitancy (with substantial regional or social differences in measles burden and vaccine uptake). Health-care worker (HCW) vaccine skepticism is also seen. While many outbreaks arise or involve specific susceptible populations (e.g., minority/migrant communities), the broader pattern is spread to the wider (and generally older) population; often among incompletely/non-vaccinated individuals as a legacy of previous low uptake. Immunization policy and strategic responses are influenced by political and social factors, where public mistrust contributes to vaccine hesitancy. A strong centralized immunization framework (allied with effective regional implementation and coherent political commitment) can effectively increase uptake. Mandatory vaccination has increased childhood MCV uptake in Italy, and similar benefits could be anticipated for other countries considering vaccine mandates. Although possible elsewhere, socio-political considerations render mandating impractical in other countries, where targeted immunization activities to bolster routine uptake are more important. Addressing HCW skepticism, knowledge gaps, improving access and increasing public/community engagement and education to address vaccine hesitancy/mistrust (especially in communities with specific unmet needs) is critical.
Topics: Child; Humans; Immunization; Immunization Programs; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Policy Making; Vaccination
PubMed: 35180372
DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2031776 -
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 -
JAMA Oct 2020
Review
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Communicable Diseases, Imported; Disease Outbreaks; Humans; Incidence; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; New Jersey; New York; United States; Vaccination; Vaccination Refusal
PubMed: 32797149
DOI: 10.1001/jama.2020.14828 -
Current Opinion in Virology Feb 2020Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) including measles and mumps have been re-emerging in countries with sustained high vaccine coverage. For mumps, waning immunity has... (Review)
Review
Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) including measles and mumps have been re-emerging in countries with sustained high vaccine coverage. For mumps, waning immunity has been recognized as a major contributor to recent outbreaks. Although unvaccinated individuals account for most cases in recent measles outbreaks, the role of immune waning remains unclear. Accumulating serological and epidemiological evidence suggests that natural immunity induced by infection may be more durable compared to vaccine-induced immunity. As the proportion of population immunity via vaccination gradually increases and boosting through natural exposures becomes rare, risk of outbreaks may increase. Mechanistic insights into the coupled immuno-epidemiological dynamics of waning and boosting will be important to understand optimal vaccination strategies to combat VPD re-emergence and achieve eradication.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Measles virus; Mumps; Mumps Vaccine; Mumps virus
PubMed: 32634672
DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2020.05.009 -
The Journal of Infection Oct 2023Measles vaccine (MV) has been observed to reduce all-cause mortality more than explained by prevention of measles infection. Recently, prevention of "measles-induced... (Review)
Review
Measles vaccine (MV) has been observed to reduce all-cause mortality more than explained by prevention of measles infection. Recently, prevention of "measles-induced immune amnesia" (MIA) has been proposed as an explanation for this larger-than-anticipated beneficial effect of measles vaccine (MV). According to the "MIA hypothesis", immune amnesia leads to excess non-measles morbidity and mortality, that may last up to five years after measles infection, but may be prevented by MV. However, the benefits of MV-vaccinated children could also be due to beneficial non-specific effects (NSEs) of MV, reducing the risk of non-measles infections (The "NSE hypothesis"). The epidemiological studies do provide some support for MIA, as exposure to measles infection before 6 months of age causes long-term MIA, and over 6 months of age for 2-3 months. However, in children over 6 months of age, the MIA hypothesis is contradicted by several epidemiological patterns: First, in community studies that adjusted for MV status, children surviving acute measles infection had lower mortality than uninfected controls (44%(95%CI: 0-69%)). Second, in six randomised trials and six observational studies comparing MV-vaccinated and MV-unvaccinated children, the benefit of MV changed minimally from 54%(43-63%) to 49%(37-59%) when measles cases were censored in the survival analysis, making it unlikely that prevention of measles and its long-term consequences explained much of the reduced mortality. Third, several studies conducted in measles-free contexts still showed significantly lower mortality after MV (55%(40-67%)). Fourth, administration of MV in the presence of maternal measles antibody (MatAb) is associated with much stronger beneficial effect for child survival than administration of MV in the absence of MatAb (55%(35-68%) lower mortality). The MIA hypothesis alone cannot explain the strongly beneficial effects of MV on child survival. Conversely, the hypothesis that MV has beneficial non-specific immune training effects is compatible with all available data. Consideration should be given to continuing MV even when measles has been eradicated.
Topics: Child; Humans; Infant; Measles Vaccine; Child Mortality; Measles; Vaccination; Survival Analysis; Antibodies, Viral
PubMed: 37482223
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2023.07.010 -
Clinical Microbiology and Infection :... May 2020The 2018 measles outbreak in Israel affected >2000 people in Jerusalem. The aim of the study was to describe clinical features and complications of hospitalized measles...
OBJECTIVES
The 2018 measles outbreak in Israel affected >2000 people in Jerusalem. The aim of the study was to describe clinical features and complications of hospitalized measles patients in Jerusalem, as related to age group and risk factors.
METHODS
All individuals hospitalized with measles in the three main hospitals in Jerusalem during March 2018 to February 2019 were included. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were analysed.
RESULTS
Of 161 hospitalized individuals, 86 (53.4%) were <5 years old, 16 (10%) were ≥5 years but <20 years old, and 59 (36.6%) were ≥20 years old. Most, 114/135 (85%), were unvaccinated. Immunocompromised state was identified in 12/161 (7.5%) patients, 20/161 (12.4%) had other underlying co-morbidities, and four were pregnant. Hypoxaemia on admission was a common finding in all age groups. Hepatitis was more common among adults ≥20 years old (33/59, 59%). Measles-related complications were noted in 95/161 (59%) patients, and included pneumonia/pneumonitis (67/161, 41.6%), which was more common in young (<5 years) children, diarrhoea (18/161, 11.2%), otitis (18/161, 11.2%), and neurological complications (6/161, 3.7%)-the latter occurring more frequently in the 5- to 20-year age group. Two of the 12 immunocompromised patients died of measles-related complications. A high re-admission rate (19/161, 11.8%) within 3 months was documented among hospitalized measles patients.
CONCLUSION
The burden of hospitalization, as well as the high rate of short- and long-term complications observed in hospitalized patients, underscore the importance of maintaining a high measles vaccine coverage, with enhanced targeting of unvaccinated population pockets.
Topics: Disease Outbreaks; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Israel; Male; Measles; Measles Vaccine; Risk Factors; Vaccination
PubMed: 31499179
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2019.08.022 -
Lancet (London, England) Apr 2023Lassa fever is a substantial health burden in west Africa. We evaluated the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a recombinant, live-attenuated, measles-vectored... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Lassa fever is a substantial health burden in west Africa. We evaluated the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a recombinant, live-attenuated, measles-vectored Lassa fever vaccine candidate (MV-LASV).
METHODS
This first-in-human phase 1 trial-consisting of an open-label dose-escalation stage and an observer-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled treatment stage-was conducted at a single site at the University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, and involved healthy adults aged 18-55 years. Participants in the dose-escalation stage were sequentially assigned to a low-dose group (two intramuscular doses of MV-LASV at 2 × 10 times the median tissue culture infectious dose) or a high-dose group (two doses at 1 × 10 times the median tissue culture infectious dose). Participants in the double-blinded treatment stage were randomly assigned in a 2:2:1 ratio to receive low dose, high dose, or placebo. The primary endpoint was the rate of solicited and unsolicited adverse events up to study day 56 and was assessed in all participants who received at least one dose of investigational product. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04055454, and the European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials Database, 2018-003647-40, and is complete.
FINDINGS
Between Sept 26, 2019, and Jan 20, 2020, 60 participants were enrolled and assigned to receive placebo (n=12) or MV-LASV (n=48). All 60 participants received at least one study treatment. Most adverse events occurred during the treatment phase, and frequencies of total solicited or unsolicited adverse events were similar between treatment groups, with 96% of participants in the low-dose group, 100% of those in the high-dose group, and 92% of those in the placebo group having any solicited adverse event (p=0·6751) and 76% of those in the low-dose group, 70% of those in the high-dose group, and 100% of those in the placebo group having any unsolicited adverse event (p=0·1047). The only significant difference related to local solicited adverse events, with higher frequencies observed in groups receiving MV-LASV (24 [96%] of 25 participants in the low-dose group; all 23 [100%] participants in the high-dose group) than in the placebo group (6 [50%] of 12 participants; p=0·0001, Fisher-Freeman-Halton test). Adverse events were mostly of mild or moderate severity, and no serious adverse events were observed. MV-LASV also induced substantial concentrations of LASV-specific IgG (geometric mean titre 62·9 EU/ml in the low-dose group and 145·9 EU/ml in the high-dose group on day 42).
INTERPRETATION
MV-LASV showed an acceptable safety and tolerability profile, and immunogenicity seemed to be unaffected by pre-existing immunity against the vector. MV-LASV is therefore a promising candidate for further development.
FUNDING
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Measles Vaccine; Lassa Fever; Vaccines, Synthetic; Vaccines, Attenuated; Measles; Double-Blind Method; Antibodies, Viral
PubMed: 36934733
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00048-X -
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics Dec 2024Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) are highly infectious viral diseases affecting young children and have high secondary attack rates. Present MMR vaccines show... (Review)
Review
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) are highly infectious viral diseases affecting young children and have high secondary attack rates. Present MMR vaccines show consistent seroconversion rates for anti-measles and anti-rubella antibodies with variable responses for anti-mumps antibodies. Most common strains for MMR vaccines, currently available in India, are the Edmonston-Zagreb measles strain, Leningrad Zagreb (L-Z) mumps strain, and the RA 27/3 rubella strain. L-Z strain of mumps virus has been found to be associated with aseptic meningitis by different studies from different parts of the world including India. Recently, a novel freeze-dried MMR vaccine developed by Zydus Lifesciences (Zyvac MMR) contains Edmonston Zagreb measles strain, Hoshino mumps strain, and RA 27/3 rubella strain. The Hoshino strain is WHO approved and was found to induce interferon gamma production. This review article aims to provide a comprehensive appraisal of the data available on the safety and immunogenicity of the novel MMR vaccine.
Topics: Child; Humans; Infant; Child, Preschool; Mumps; Rubella Vaccine; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; Measles; Rubella; Mumps virus; Antibodies, Viral; Measles Vaccine
PubMed: 38236022
DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2302685