Measles Vaccine Field Trials In Alaska

I: killed vaccine followed by live attenuated vaccine and y-globulin with live attenuated vaccine. II: vaccination on St. Paul Island, Pribilofs, where measles had been absent for 21 years. I: two regimens of measles vaccination were tested in Alaskan Eskimo villages in March 1963. Clinical reactions were no more severe than those observed in other populations. From 7-11 days following administration of live attenuated vaccine plus y-globulin, 18% had a temperature of 103F and 24% developed a rash. One dose of killed vaccine followed in 6 weeks by live attenuated vaccine produced a temperature of 102F in only 2 instances and measles-like rash was not observed. Height of antibody response following live attenuated vaccine and y-globulin was related significantly to age and maximum temperature. Rash occurred more frequently in the very young. II: Live measles vaccine was given to almost the entire population of the village of St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands in 1963 where exposure to measles had not occurred since 1942. Reactions among susceptibles tended to be mild with temperatures of 102F or over occurring un 7% and rash appearing in 6% of 164 individuals. No clinical or serologic response was noted among seroimmune individuals when vaccine was administered with or without y-globulin. Tables. Bibliography.