ADVERSE IMPACT OF INFECTIONS ON ANTIBODY-RESPONSES TO MEASLES VACCINATION

Antibody titres were determined in 102 Thai infants who were vaccinate d at 9-months of age during the respiratory disease season. The sympto m densities of illnesses at or following vaccination, including rhinor rhea and diarrhea, were significantly lower among seroconverters, alth ough the simple presence or absence of specific symptoms was not signi ficantly related to seroconversions. Logistic regression indicated tha t neutralization test antibody titres below the median titre of 1:80 f ollowing vaccination were significantly more frequent among those with rhinorrhea when vaccinated and among those with diarrhea after vaccin ation. Compared with a referent group without these symptoms, titres w ere lower in those who had rhinorrhea when vaccinated, rhinorrhea duri ng the first week post vaccination, and diarrhea in either of the two follow-up weeks. Illnesses concurrent or subsequent to measles vaccina tion adversely affected antibody responses in these study objects. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.