Measles and rubella antibody status in children after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

OBJECTIVE To assess the vaccination history and the status of vaccine-induced protection from measles and rubella in children after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. METHODS Measles and rubella immunological status was assessed by the ELISA technique for 22 children previously treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. RESULTS From the total of 22 patients, 20 had been given two doses of measles vaccine and 18 had had one dose of rubella vaccine. The percentage of patients seropositive for measles and rubella were 65 and 88.9%, respectively, with no correlation with age of patient, aggression of treatment or the time passed between the end of treatment and sample collection. CONCLUSIONS We detected that vaccination had failed against measles and rubella in 35 and 11.1% of cases, respectively. We recommend that a measles booster be given after the completion of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and that rubella immunity status should be assessed at this point, with revaccination performed when necessary.