Influences on immunization rates: Vaccination coverage of mumps, measles, rubella and varicella before and after the STIKO intervention 2011 - A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND In September 2011, the German Standing Committee on Vaccinations (STIKO) changed their recommendation regarding the mumps-measles-rubella-varicella vaccination (MMRV). We compared the immunization rates against MMRV in Germany before and after the STIKO intervention. METHODS We recorded the immunization status of children born between 09/2008 and 08/2012 in 35 selected doctor's surgeries in Germany. RESULTS After the STIKO intervention, the ratio of the combined MMRV vaccine as the first dose immunization was reduced to approximately 25% of the initial value. A slight increase in the number of children not sufficiently vaccinated against varicella (1.2%) was observed, but the immunization rates against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella did not significantly decrease. CONCLUSIONS The STIKO intervention led to a significant change in physicians' vaccination procedures. The separate administration MMR+V vaccination may be a helpful option to improve the immunization rates in general.