The effect of live measles vaccines on serum vitamin A levels in healthy children.
OBJECTIVE
Serum retinol levels have been shown to be depressed during measles infection. This study aims to demonstrate whether there is any decrease in serum vitamin A level following immunization with live viral vaccine and its relation with vaccine seroconversion in children with measles. Since many children receive measles vaccine alone or in combination with measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, we studied serum vitamin A levels and antibody levels in healthy, well-nourished children before and after immunization with monovalent and combined live attenuated measles vaccine.


METHODS
The first group included 21 healthy children between the ages of 9-11 months who received live measles (Schwarz) vaccine. There were also 21 healthy children (range 14-20 months of age) who received measles-mumps-rubella Trimovax (Pasteur Merieux) vaccine. All children were tested for serum vitamin A levels before vaccination, on days 9-14 and 30-42 following both vaccinations. Measles specific antibody levels were also measured on admission and 30-42 days following vaccinations.


RESULTS
In both vaccination groups, mean serum vitamin A levels reduced significantly on days 9-14, but increased slightly on days 30-42 in the measles-mumps-rubella vaccinated group (P < 0.05). The baseline and follow-up levels of mean serum vitamin A did not differ between seroconverted and nonseroconverted cases within the measles vaccinated group.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum vitamin A levels are reduced following vaccination with monovalent and combined live attenuated measles vaccines.
Yalçin
S S
SS
Department of Social Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Institute of Child Health, Ankara, Turkey.
Yurdakök
K
K
Ozalp
I
I
Coşkun
T
T
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; D009108:Mumps Vaccine / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D017778:Vaccines, Combined / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; D009108:Mumps Vaccine; D012411:Rubella Vaccine; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D017778:Vaccines, Combined; D014801:Vitamin A