Measles Vaccine, Live Attenuated

Registered South African indications:

• Immunisation against measles

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to the active ingredient or any of the excipients
• Active or developing acute respiratory infection, including active untreated tuberculosis
• Acute infectious diseases, leukaemia, severe anaemia, and other severe diseases of the blood system
• Severe impairment of renal function and decompensated heart diseases
• Measles vaccine should be avoided in other cell-mediated immune deficiency states
• Known allergy to kanamycin sulphate and erythromycin

Measles vaccine may be used in children with known or suspected HIV infection, as there is no evidence to date of any increased rate of adverse reactions in symptomatic or asymptomatic HIV-infected children

Cautions

• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Mild to moderate renal impairment
• Thrombocytopenia
• History of idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura
• Bleeding disorder

Not established for use in adults

Forms avail. in SA and covered in this monograph: inj

EPI Schedule 2016

Immunisation of children at 9-18 months of age

• SC: 0.5ml

Not to be used in combination with other childhood vaccinations

DO NOT administer via IV or IM route

Pregnancy

• Caution; not recommended

Breastfeeding

• Caution; not recommended  
• There is limited experience with the Measles vaccine during breastfeeding
• Studies have shown that breastfeeding postpartum women vaccinated with live attenuated rubella vaccines may secrete the virus in breast milk and transmit it to breastfed infants without evidence of any symptomatic disease
• Only in the event the child is confirmed or suspected to be immunodeficient, risks and benefits of vaccinating the mother should be evaluated

Renal Impairment

• Mild to moderate: Caution; no information available
• Severe: Contraindicated

Hepatic Impairment

• No dose adjustment recommended

Elderly

• Not indicated for use in geriatric patients

Porphyria Information

• Probably not porphyrinogenic (PNP)

Drugs in Sport

• Permitted - No warnings

Central Nervous System Disorders

• Febrile convulsion

Gastrointestinal Disorders

• Diarrhoea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain

Immune, Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders

• Adenopathy
• Thrombocytopaenic purpura
• Allergic reaction
• Anaphylactic reaction
• Anaphylactoid reactions

Sensory Disorders

• Conjunctivitis 

• Immunoglobulins
• Immunosuppressants
• Corticosteroids

None routine

The live, attenuated measles vaccine stimulates the production of antibodies to the measles virus. 

Injection 0.5ml

• Rouvax (Sanofi) originator
• Measbio (Biovac)
• Measles Vaccine Cipla (Cipla Medpro)