Intradermal Administration of Measles Vaccines1

The aim of the study reporfed here was to determine if bifurcated needles or multiple puncture cylinders would prove suitable for administration of measles vaccines. Children 9 to 11 months old in S#o Paula, Brazil, were assigned to receive either BikenCam 70 (5 000 TCl0,dO.S ml) or Edmonsfon-Zagreb (7 000 TCID,,IO.5 ml) measles vaccine intradermally with a bifurcated needle or a multiple puncture cylinder. These devices are usually used to administer smallpox or BCG vaccine. The volume of vaccine inoculated was approximately 0.003 ml. Measles 1gG antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELlSA) at the time of vaccination and 8 weeks later. The study participants were examined 14 days after inoculation for possible adverse reactions. Overall, the children’s average age was 9.5 f 0.66 months at vaccination. None of the 45 recipients of Biken-Cam vaccine responded serologically. The 49 Edmonston-Zagreb vaccine recipients immunized with fke mulfiple puncture cylinder had a somewhat higher serologic response rate (35%) and mean concentration of measles antibodies (323 mIUlm1) than those 51 who received the same vaccine administered with the bifurcated needle (26% and 291 mlUlm1, respectively). The rates of reported symptoms after vaccination did not difer significantly among the groups. Overall, the low serologic response rates following intradermal immunization with the devices tested in this study indicate that this route of administration is not suitable for routine administration of standard-titer vaccines.