Title: Contraindications for measles vaccine, adverse events and how to manage them
Course: Immunization - Ethiopia (Full)

Contraindications for measles vaccine, adverse events and how to manage them

Children who develop a severe allergic reaction should be referred immediately to a health centre, and should not be given measles vaccine again.

In around 20% of children, a mild fever lasting one to three days may occur approximately one week after immunization. A few children (less than 5%) develop a mild rash. Injection-site abscess or severe allergic reactions including rash, breathing difficulty and fainting occur very rarely. Table 3.2 gives a summary of the possible adverse events following measles vaccination and how to manage them.

Table 3.2  Management of adverse events following immunization with measles vaccine.

Adverse event | Management | Comments
Low-grade fever Slight rash | Give paracetamol syrup (5 ml) up to 4 doses | Usually lasts 1 to 3 days
Abscess at injection site | Amoxicillin syrup orally three times daily | Refer urgently to a higher health facility
Severe rash, breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness | Do not give measles vaccine again | Refer the child to a health centre immediately

Table 3.3 summarises what you should know about measles vaccine.

Table 3.3  Summary of measles vaccine immunization characteristics.

Category | Description
Type of vaccine | Live-attenuated antiviral vaccine
Number of doses | One in routine EPI schedule, plus one in supplementary campaigns
Schedule | At 9 months in the EPI; after 12 months in campaigns
Additional early dose | At 6 months in some circumstances (see Section 3.3.2)
Contraindications | Severe allergic reaction to previous dose
Adverse events | Fever, rash and (rarely) severe allergic reaction or abscess (see Section 3.3.4)
Special precautions | None
Dosage | 0.5 ml
Injection site | Outer upper arm
Injection type | Subcutaneous
Storage | Store between +2°C and +8°C (Note: the vaccine powder may be frozen for long-term storage, but not the diluent or the reconstituted vaccine)