Researchers urge discussion on infant measles vaccine

Researchers from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) are calling for urgent debate on the timing of measles vaccination in infants, in the context of the current global measles outbreak.
 
Globally around 400,000 cases were reported in 2024, with a further 16,000 reported during the first two months of 2025.

Australia has had 77 cases reported so far this year, compared with a total of 57 in 2024, 26 in 2023 and seven in 2022.
 
The MCRI systematic review, published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, looked at measles seroprevalence in around 8000 infants. It found maternal measles antibody rates were highest at birth, 81%, decreasing rapidly to 30% at four months and 18% at seven months.
 
MCRI researcher Dr Lien Anh Ha Do said this shows 70% of babies are unprotected by four months and remain vulnerable until the vaccine-eligible age of 9–12 months.
 
‘An early first measles dose could provide sustained protection throughout infancy by closing gaps in immunity,’ she said.
 
‘This could be achieved by earlier administration of the first dose or by adding an extra early dose to the routine two-dose schedule.’
 
GP and Immunisation Coalition Chair Dr Rodney Pearce highlights the complexity of vaccinations under 12 months. He favours the current schedule with a focus on maintaining high enough vaccination rates in the broader community.
 
‘When considering vaccination in infants, we know vaccinations after 12 months are more likely to translate into lifelong immunity; prior to that, we’re vaccinating because of their vulnerability at that particular time,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘We’ve introduced more vaccines during pregnancy, such as for whooping cough and RSV to help protect the baby indirectly through maternal antibodies.
 
‘The question is, at what stage does the baby need their own protection? With whooping cough we moved the first dose to six weeks to protect the baby directly.
 
‘We feel we’re not yet there with measles, but if the circulating virus continues to increase, we’d need to reconsider.’
 
Dr Pearce described measles as a ‘nasty disease which many young people have never seen’, with its complications having potential lifelong impacts.
 
‘In previous generations, hospitals had a significant number of patients admitted at any point in time with the complications of measles,’ he said.
 
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a two-dose measles vaccine schedule for children, with the first dose between 9–12 months old.
 
Under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Australia also currently recommends a two-dose schedule for measles, with vaccination at 12 and 18 months.
 
In Australia, infants can receive the MMR vaccine in special circumstances from six months, including for travel to highly endemic areas during outbreaks and as post-exposure prophylaxis.
 
New Zealand now recommends an additional measles dose be given to children as young as four months before travelling to endemic countries.
 
Log in below to join the conversation.

childhood vaccines global measles outbreak measles National Immunisation Program WHO