Should an international traveler born before 1957 who thinks s/he had measles and mumps as a child be advised to get an MMR before traveling abroad?
We recommend that you consider a dose of MMR for persons born before 1957 if they are traveling to an area where measles is common and the only evidence of immunity is their birthdate. Seroprevalence studies in healthcare workers show that up to 5% of persons born before 1957 ARE susceptible. Five percent susceptible is probably OK for adults at low risk of exposure, but it is NOT OK for persons at high risk of exposure, such as international travelers to areas with measles. You should consult a travel medicine specialist to determine your specific risk.
We recommend that you consider a dose of MMR for persons born before 1957 if they are traveling to an area where measles is common and the only evidence of immunity is their birthdate. Seroprevalence studies in healthcare workers show that up to 5% of persons born before 1957 ARE susceptible. Five percent susceptible is probably OK for adults at low risk of exposure, but it is NOT OK for persons at high risk of exposure, such as international travelers to areas with measles.
Related Questions
- Should an international traveler born before 1957 who thinks s/he had measles and mumps as a child be advised to get an MMR before traveling abroad?
- Would it be better to vaccinate my child with separate measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines rather than the MMR vaccine?
- Why should my child have the vaccinations against measles, mumps and rubella singly rather than combined in the MMR?
