Compairing antibody titres of single dose and two doeses mesles vaccine in preschool children

SUMMARYCOMPAIRING ANT BODY TITRES OF SINGLE DOSE AND TWO DOSESMEASLES VACCINE IN PRESCHOOL CHILDRENThe aim of this study is determining the immunization status associated with measlesvaccine schedule in preschool children between a group vaccinated with single dose atninth month and other with two doses at ninth and fifteenth months, by comparing theseroconvertion of these two groups. ELISA technique has been used to determine theserologic status against measles.A total of 191 children were investigated taken in to the study. In the 2-7 age group75.4 % of the children were found to be immunized against measles. The seropositivityratio of single dose vaccinated children was 75.0 %, two doses vaccinated children was75.9 %. There were no statistically significant difference between seropositivity in bothgroups. There were also no statistically differences between two groups according to ageand sex. Thus, it was thought that the administration of second dose measles vaccine infirst five years would not make difference for seropositivity.The information about vaccination and cold chain rules must be given to health staffwith education for preventing primer vaccine failure that leads to decrease seropositivityof vaccination and this education must be repeated regularly.In order to achieve measles control, coverage rates should be increase, routine measlesvaccination activities must be strengthened and specific strategies must be developed andimplemented for the regions or groups having risk with in the content of the measlesimmunization program. At the same time, surveillance system should be developed andsupported by epidemiological and serological studies which will be conducted accordingto the data obtained from surveillance system.Key words: Measles infection, measles vaccine, measles seroconvertion, measles ELISAviii