New strategies for closing the gap of measles susceptibility in infants: towards vaccines compatible with current vaccination schedules

Peptides representing epitopes of the measles virus glycoproteins have been designed to induce neutralizing and protective antibodies. Those that esca pe recognition by passively acquired anti-whole virus antibodies could pote ntially be used as components of a 'pre-vaccine' that could be given during early childhood irrespective of persisting maternal antibodies. Unlike vac cines based on recombinant proteins, epitope-based vaccines can be designed to be compatible with a subsequent boost with the standard life attenuated vaccine. Although synthetic peptides may induce only short-term immunity t hey have the potential to close in young infants the gap of vulnerability u ntil the standard live attenuated vaccine can be given at 9 or 15 months of age. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.