The waning of maternal measles antibodies: a multi-country maternal-infant seroprevalence study
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
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.
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.
Date Issued
2025-08-01
Date Acceptance
2025-06-05
Citation
Journal of Infection, 2025, 91 (2)
ISSN
0163-4453
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Infection
Volume
91
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The British Infection Association. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40513621
PII: S0163-4453(25)00125-2
Subjects
Antibody
Decay
ELIMINATION
IMMUNE-RESPONSE
Immunisation
Immunity
IMMUNIZATION
Infectious Diseases
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Measles
MUMPS
OPEN-LABEL
PERTUSSIS VACCINATION
PREGNANCY
PROGRESS
Protection
Science & Technology
Vaccination
VARICELLA
Waning
WORLDWIDE
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
106531
Date Publish Online
2025-06-11