Antibody Responses in Serum and Nasal Secretions of Children Immunized with Inactivated and Attenuated Measles-Virus Vaccines

Abstract

In 24 children immunized with inactivated or attenuated measles-virus vaccines, responses of serum antibody (characterized by density-gradient ultracentrifugation and radioimmunodiffusion studies) were comparable both in peak titers and in immunoglobulin contribution. In eight of nine children immunized with attenuated measles-virus vaccine nasal antibody associated primarily with the γA and less often with γG immunoglobulins developed; nasal antibody was detected in only three of seven immunized with inactivated measles-virus vaccine, and in these both γA and γG activities were observed. Of eight children with pre-existing serum antibody, six had nasal antibody in the preimmunization specimens. The differences in ability of these vaccines to stimulate local respiratory-tract antibody may in part explain the greater clinical effectiveness of the attenuated vaccine as well as the occurrence of altered reactivity of the host who received inactivated vaccine.