PASSIVE-IMMUNITY AGAINST MEASLES DURING THE FIRST 8 MONTHS OF LIFE OFINFANTS BORN TO VACCINATED MOTHERS OR TO MOTHERS WHO SUSTAINED MEASLES

Neutralizing antibody titers of 47 infants whose mothers sustained mea sles (measles group) and 70 whose mothers were vaccinated (vaccine gro up) were compared at birth, 4 and 8 months of age. All children had an tibodies at birth and 88% at 4 months. At 8 months, 49% had antibodies in the measles group and 15% in the vaccine group (P<0.001). The geom etric mean titers were significantly lower in the vaccine group than i n the measles group and the difference corresponded to the antibody lo ss occurring in only 1.5 months of life. This small difference may ref lect past exposure to wild virus of many vaccinated mothers. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.