MMR and varicella vaccines work well together.(Brief Article)

2002 AUG 28 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS, senior medical writer - Providing the varicella vaccine at the time of MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) immunization does not reduce the safety, tolerability, or efficacy of either, say California researchers.

A successful childhood immunization program depends on comprehensive coverage of eligible infants and children. Eliminating barriers to compliance with the immunization schedule helps achieve a high vaccination rate. One method to increase compliance is providing immunization against several illnesses during one office or clinic visit.

Henry R. Shinefield and his colleagues on the Kaiser Permanente Medical Team for Varivax tested the effectiveness of concomitant inoculation with MMR II (measles, mumps and rubella virus vaccine, live) and Varivax (varicella virus vaccine, live). The investigators studied the effects of the vaccines in 603 children, 12 months to 6 years old, who received the MMR II and varicella vaccines during the same office visit (group A) or 6 weeks apart (group B). Follow-up was done for 5 years to evaluate persistence of circulating antibodies and determine incidence of varicella infections.

Children in both groups experienced similar seroconversion rates and antibody titers for measles, mumps, and rubella. The seroconversion rates for varicella also were similar between the two groups (99.5% for group A, 100% for group B) (Vaccination with measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and varicella vaccine: safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, persistence of antibody and duration of protection against varicella in healthy children. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 2002;21(6):555-561).

However, a ...