All issues > Volume 38(5); 1995

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1995;38(5):619-624. Published online May 15, 1995.

Trend of Maternal Measles Antibody in Korean Infants before 10 Months of Age

Phil-Soo PS Oh¹, Sung Hee SH Oh¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul. Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: The measles epidemic occurrence has not well been controlled in Korea. Vaccin- ation schedule for measles in Korea has been modified in several occasions with insufficient da ta base. The most recent recommendation is to immunize at 9 months of age with measles va-ccine(at 6 months of age during epidemics) and reimmunize at 15 months of age with MMR. In this context, the authors have attempted to demonstrate the trend of maternal antibody among unvaccinated infants in order to contribute in recognizing the optimal time for measles vaccina-tion in Korea.
Methods
: Passively transferred measles IgG antibody was tested by enzyme-linked immun-osorbent assay(Behring? among 142 infants younger than 10 months of age, seen at the depar tment of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital from November 1992 to September 1993. Th e infants were not immunocompromised, and had not been immunized with measles vaccine or experienced natural infection.
Results
: Among the total 142 infants, 47(33.1%) were seropositive with the greatest of 89. 7%(26/29) among neonates. As infants were getting older, the seropositivity was decreased, an d infants of 5 months of age or older were seropositive in less than 10%. The optical density for infants with antibody was also lower, as the infants were older, There was no difference in sero-positivity according to the types of feeding or maternal age.
Conclusion
: Passively transferred maternal measles antibody appears to decrease as infa-nts are getting older, and infants of 5 months of age or older were seropositive in less than 10%. These data explain the recent occurrence of measles in young infants and support the recent c hanges in the recommendation of measles vaccination in Korea by the Committee of Infections, the Korean Pediatric Society.

Keywords :Measles, IgG antibody, ELISA, Infants