Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2004 Jan;11(1):119-22.
doi: 10.1128/cdli.11.1.119-122.2004.

Identification of primary and secondary measles vaccine failures by measurement of immunoglobulin G avidity in measles cases during the 1997 São Paulo epidemic

Cláudio S Pannuti  1 , Ricardo José Morello, José Cássio de Moraes, Suely Pires Curti, Ana Maria S Afonso, Maria Cláudia Corrêa Camargo, Vanda A U F de Souza
Affiliations

Identification of primary and secondary measles vaccine failures by measurement of immunoglobulin G avidity in measles cases during the 1997 São Paulo epidemic

Cláudio S Pannuti et al. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. 2004 Jan.

Abstract

Despite almost universal use of measles vaccines in recent decades, epidemics of the disease continue to occur. Understanding the role of primary vaccine failure (failure to seroconvert after vaccination) and secondary vaccine failures (waning immunity after seroconversion) in measles epidemics is important for the evaluation of measles control programs in developing countries. After a measles epidemic in São Paulo, Brazil, 159 cases previously confirmed by detection of specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies were tested for IgG avidity, and a secondary immune response, defined by an IgG avidity index of at least 30%, was established in 30 of 159 (18.9%) patients. Among the 159 patients, 107 (67.3%) had not been vaccinated and 52 (32.7%) had received one or more doses of measles vaccine. Of the 107 unvaccinated patients, 104 (97.2%) showed a primary immune response, defined as an IgG avidity index of less than 30%. Among the 52 patients with documented vaccination, 25 (48.1%) showed a primary immune response and 27 (51.9%) showed a secondary immune response, thereby constituting a secondary vaccine failure. Primary vaccine failure was observed in 13 of 13 patients vaccinated prior to 1 year of age and in 43.5 and 12.5%, respectively, of patients receiving one or two doses after their first birthdays. These results provide evidence that measurement of IgG avidity can be used to distinguish between primary and secondary vaccine failures in vaccinated patients with measles; the method can also be a useful tool for the evaluation of measles control programs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Akingbade, D., B. J. Cohen, and D. W. Brown. 2003. Detection of low-avidity immunoglobulin G in oral fluid samples: a new approach for rubella diagnosis and surveillance. Clin. Diagn. Lab. Immunol. 10:189-190. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Baccard-Longere, M., F. Freymuth, D. Cointe, J. M. Seigneurin, and L. Grangeot-Keros. 2001. Multicenter evaluation of a rapid and convenient method for determination of cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G avidity. Clin. Diagn. Lab. Immunol. 8:429-431. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Black, F. L., L. L. Berman, M. Libel, C. A. Reichelt, F. D. Pinheiro, A. Travassos da Rosa, F. Figueira, and E. Siqueira Gonzales. 1984. Inadequate immunity to measles in children vaccinated at an early age: effect of revaccination. Bull. W. H. O. 62:315-319. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Camargo, M. C., J. C. Moraes, V. A. Souza, M. R. Matos, and C. S. Pannuti. 2000. Predictors related to the occurrence of a measles epidemic in the city of Sao Paulo in 1997. Pan. Am. J. Public Health 7:359-365. - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1991. Measles. United States, 1990. Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 40:369-372. - PubMed

Publication types