SAFETY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE IMMUNE-RESPONSE ENGENDERED BY 2 COMBINED MEASLES, MUMPS AND RUBELLA VACCINES

We performed a randomized trial to compare the safety and immunogenici ty of two combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccines in healthy chil dren 14-24 months of age, Triviraten Berna(R) Vaccine (Swiss Serum and Vaccine institute), contains the Edmonston Zagreb 19 strain of measle s virus, the Rubini mumps virus strain and the Wistar RA 27/3 rubella strain while MMR-Vax(R) (Merck, Sharp & Dohme, West Point, PA) contain s the Enders attenuated Edmonston measles strain, the Jeryl Lynn mumps strain and the Wistar RA 27/3 rubella strain, Immunization with Trivi raten Berna(R) was associated with a significantly lower incidence of swelling and redness at the injection site in addition to a reduced ra te of fever compared with MMR-Vax. Seroconversion rates for the measle s and rubella vaccine components were comparable in all tests used. Ho wever seroconversion for the mumps vaccine component was test-dependen t. Using an ELISA, the seroconversion rate following immunization with MMR-Vax was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than for Triviraten Berna , In contrast, nearly identical rates were obtained using an indirect immunofluorescence test. Both vaccines were equally effective at engen dering antibodies capable of neutralizing wild type mumps virus, Geome tric mean ELISA antibody titers against measles and mumps virus were h igher following immunization with MMR-Vax while that for rubella was h igher after immunization with Triviraten Berna. A small number (N=13) of adolescents immunized either with MMR-Vax or Triviraten Berna were reimmunized with Triviraten Berna and various humoral and cellular res ponse parameters to the measles and mumps vaccine components analyzed. While few subjects mounted a humoral antibody response to measles, mo st likely due to elevated baseline titers, there was a mar ked lymphop roliferative response, Anti-mumps virus ELISA antibody titers were hig her both at baseline and after reimmunization in subjects who received MMR-Vax for primary immunization, However, there was no difference in either neutralizing titer or proliferative response in subjects prime d with MMR-Vax or Triviraten Berna either before or-after reimmunizati on. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.