Guidelines

Statement from the PHLS Virology Committee - Serum and saliva testing to determine immunity to measles, mumps and rubella

Commercial assays that measure IgG to measles and mumps were designed for the diagnosis of acute infection and have not been validated for the determination of protection against these diseases. They are not therefore recommended for testing prior to vaccination.

Saliva testing for IgG to measles and rubella is also only used, in combination with IgM testing, for the diagnosis of acute infection and is not suitable for the determination of immunity to these diseases.

Combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) is not contra-indicated in children who may be immune to one or more components of the vaccine. MMR vaccine contains three live attenuated viruses - each vaccine virus will not replicate to a significant level in a host who has pre-existing immunity to that infection as a result of either vaccination or natural disease. MMR may therefore be safely given to people without other contra-indications regardless of prior vaccination status or a history of natural infection.