The waning of maternal measles antibodies: A multi-country maternal-infant seroprevalence study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To assess geographical variation in maternal measles antibody levels from birth to nine months of age, to inform recommendations for the timing of the first measles vaccine dose. METHODS: Stored infant serum samples from 11 countries taken at delivery and/or follow-up time points prior to measles vaccination (N=2845) were tested for measles plaque reduction neutralisation (PRNT) and measles, mumps, and rubella immunoglobulin G at a central laboratory. Antibody decay in infants was modelled using linear mixed effects models with participant-level random intercepts and random slopes. Proportions of infants with antibody concentrations above the clinical protection threshold (0.12 IU/mL) were estimated at each age. RESULTS: At birth, most (94%, 519/552) infants had PRNT ≥0.12 IU/mL, but geometric mean concentrations ranged from 0.32 IU/mL (Guatemala) to 1.60 IU/mL (Pakistan). There was no geographical variation in the decay rate of PRNT nor immunoglobulin G. Geometric mean PRNT fell below 0.12 IU/mL between ages 2.5 months (Guatemala) and 6.2 months (Pakistan). At age 6 months, <50% of infants had PRNT ≥0.12 IU/mL in all countries except Pakistan. CONCLUSIONS: Reliance on maternal antibodies for protection until age 9 months or later leaves most infants with insufficient direct protection against measles infection between ages 6-9 months.
Source: Journal of Infection
Authors: Karen S. Tiley, Hinke ten Hulscher-van Overbeek, Sudha Basnet, Rob van Binnendijk, Ed Clarke, Stephen Cose, Duc Anh Dang, Ha Thi Thu Hoang, Beth Holder, Olubukola T. Idoko, Beate Kampmann, Freddie Kibengo, Fiona van der Klis, Abdul Momin Kazi, Elke Leuridan, Kirsten Maertens, Herberth Maldonado, Mary Nyantaro, Saad Omer, Marcela F. Pasetti, Andrew J. Pollard, Nynke Rots, Arun Kumar Sharma, Shrijana Shrestha, Milagritos Tapia, Nasamon Wanlapakorn, Merryn Voysey
Institutions: University of Oxford, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Tribhuvan University, Institute of Medicine, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, MRC Unit the Gambia, National Institute Of Hygiene And Epidemiology, Imperial College London, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Aga Khan University, University of Antwerp, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University
Language: English
Topic: Virology and Viral Diseases
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,030
OpenAlex ID: W4411201739