Enders' Live Measles-Virus Vaccine with Human Immune Globulin

Abstract

Measles, because of the high rate of deaths and mental crippling, stands high on the list of need for an effective vaccine. First significant progress toward development of a practicable vaccine was made by Enders et al.¹who grew the virus in various cell culture systems and in embryonated eggs and effected an attenuation of virulence for man. Although the vaccine, given alone, regularly induced antibodies against measles²and afforded protection against the natural disease,^3,4the mild measles reactions caused by the vaccine were sufficiently great to preclude general patient and physician acceptance. To minimize such reactions, McCrumb et al.5 and our group⁶gave the live measlesvirus vaccine followed immediately by a modifying dose of human immune globulin. This effected a marked suppression in clinical response without reduction in seroconversion rate or in the protective efficacy of the vaccine.^5-7 The present communication details the findings