From the Guidelines
The MMR vaccine is typically administered in two doses during childhood, with the first dose recommended at 12-15 months of age and the second dose given at 4-6 years of age. For children who did not receive the vaccine at these recommended ages, catch-up vaccination is important. The two doses should be separated by at least 28 days. During outbreaks or for international travel, infants as young as 6 months may receive an early dose, but this does not count toward the routine two-dose series. College students, healthcare workers, and international travelers who lack evidence of immunity should receive two doses separated by at least 28 days.
Key Points
- The first dose of MMR vaccine is recommended at 12-15 months of age 1.
- The second dose of MMR vaccine is recommended at 4-6 years of age 1.
- For the first dose of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccines at age 12–47 months, either measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and varicella vaccine or MMRV vaccine may be used 1.
- A personal or family history of seizures of any etiology is a precaution for MMRV vaccination, and children with such a history should be vaccinated with MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine 1.
Additional Considerations
- The MMR vaccine provides protection against three serious diseases: measles, which can cause severe complications including pneumonia and encephalitis; mumps, which can lead to deafness and meningitis; and rubella, which can cause severe birth defects if a pregnant woman is infected.
- This two-dose schedule ensures optimal immune response and long-lasting protection against these preventable diseases.
- Adults born before 1957 generally are considered immune to measles and mumps, but all adults born in 1957 or later should have documentation of 1 or more doses of MMR vaccine unless they have a medical contraindication to the vaccine, laboratory evidence of immunity to each of the 3 diseases, or documentation of provider-diagnosed measles or mumps disease 1.
From the Research
MMR Vaccine Administration Ages
The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is administered at specific ages to provide protection against these diseases. The recommended ages for MMR vaccine administration are:
- 12 through 15 months for the first dose 2
- 4 through 6 years for the second dose, before school entry 2
- For adults at high risk for exposure and transmission, two doses are recommended 2
- For other adults aged 18 years and older, one dose is recommended 2
Special Considerations
There are special considerations for certain groups, such as:
- Persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, who should receive two doses of MMR vaccine at ages 12 through 15 months and 4 through 6 years 2
- Infants aged birth to 6 months who are exposed to measles, who should receive immune globulin administered intramuscularly (IGIM) 3
- Susceptible infants six to 12 months old who are identified after 72 hours and within six days of measles exposure, who should receive IMIg (0.5 mL/kg) if injection volume is not a major concern 3
Vaccine Potency and Immunogenicity
Studies have compared the immunogenicity and safety of MMR vaccine formulations at different potency levels:
- A phase III randomized trial found that one dose of MMR-RIT formulation with lower potency induced a non-inferior immune response compared to commercial MMR II vaccine, measured by ELISA in one-year-old children 4
- A study on rubella virus-specific humoral immune responses found that a third dose of MMR vaccine induced a significant boost of antibody titers in one-third of participants 5