MMR booster - how to check for immunity?

[Hulababy]

and is it possible?

DD had an unpleasant reaction to her MMR at 13 months and it is something I would rather not risk happening again if I can help it. Her booster is due early next year.

I mentioned this new GP and she has asked me to go in with DD in New Year, when my notes have arrived, to discuss it. But she said that there was no way to check immunity properly and blood tests would not give us the information needed.

Is this the case? And is there anything we can do instead? We don't mind paying for tests, etc privately if need be.

Help!

I was wondering this too, as ds1 and 2 had a nasty reation to MMR, and I will not be going this route again unless totally necessary

I got dd tested for the DTP+polio to check immunity before boosters.
They tell you the level of antibodies the child has to each one and what the recommended level is (if i remember correctly). It may be the same for MMR.

This was private BTW.

More than willing to pay private. Not sure how to go about it or who to call though.

In Sheffield BTW is anyone can help.

yes you can ask for her immunity to be checked, we have had ds done as he had anaphylactic shock after his mmr, for an unknown reason.
It turns out ds isn't immune, but he never got it (measles) when dd had measles 2 yrs ago.
You may need a specialist phlebotomist immunology person to speak to - ak for a referral.
Ours was done in NZ, it was over 6 yrs ago as well.

here is a list of outreach clinics for Direct Health 2000. You could call them and find out.
They are who we use, they are not great, admin is atrocious but the Doctors are good.

So why is my GP saying the blood tests don't give the information needed? Is she trying to fob us off?

I need to gather as much information as possible before I go and see her in New Year I think.

Never been anti-vax or anything. But would rather not risk DD being poorly again.

It wasn't a massive serious reaction, but was unpleasant. She's never been ill like it (not even vaguely) before or since. She losts loads of weight too

Took her to Gp and HV several times (different one prior to first move) but I doubt there is anything on her records to say it was a definite reaction. Our first GPs wasn't great and they refused to say anything. Have spoken to a couple of GPs since, mainly via DH's work, a nd they feel it would not have simply been a coincidence.

Thank you for link . Nearest on there is Leeds, which isn't too much of a pain.

checking someone's blood antibody titre is very easy to do by ELISA. The antibodies from the blood sample "stick" to the appropriate antigen (eg measles) on a plate. A second reaction "reveals" the stickiness - usually involving a colour cgange (kind of like a pregnancy test).

Honestly, it's the sort of basic biochemistry that hospital labs do all the time.

what sort of reaction did she have? I've got DS's MMR coming up (once his teeth are through) and I'd like to know what to exepect. He had a fever and a rash over his leg and face witht he last of his DTP which wasn't too nice

It wasn't a serious, life threatening reaction but unpleasant. Within 2 days she was feverish, off food, losing wieght, not eating/drinking properly, unsettled, not sleeping, random rashes and blotchiness - very angry red marks. She was poorly for a 2 weeks. Prior tot he MMR she had had no illness or signs of illness, and was very healthy. After 2 weeks she was skinand bones, legtharic/tired and so very different. Took her ages to get back to her normal self.

So, unpleasant experience for us all. Not as bad as some people, but worse than others too.

Would rather not pout her through the risk of being like that again if I don't have to.

So, if the immunity check is available and can determine whether she has enough antibodies or not - why does this GP say a blood test won't give her the information she needs to know if she is immune. Confused.

Any more information?

mmm I'm probably not going to help much but I too was under the impression that all it took was a blood test (after all, this is how checks are made in a pregnant woman for rubella etc.).

Doctors are often very unwilling to do this (so perhaps he was trying to fob you off) because taking blood from a small child is no mean feat and can be very distressing for the child so doctors would rather jab them than draw blood and check for immunity unless completely necessary.

If it helps (which I'm sure it won't!) both dd and ds had nasty reactions to the first MMR (ds got mini mumps and dd got mini measles) but did not react one jot to the second lot.

(also I imagine there are cost implications)

I am more than happy to foot the bill.

here's the official blurb about the immunity tests

if you search on google for MMR immunity antibody test you will come up with loads of private clinics that will do this - don't know how reliable they are though (here's one )

"There are blood and saliva tests available that measure antibody levels to measles, mumps and rubella viruses but these were not designed to check immunity. These tests were designed on the basis of acute infection and not for the measurement of protection levels against these diseases. In fact, there is very little evidence about what are the protective levels of antibodies needed to produce adequate immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. No conclusions regarding immunity can be drawn from this test,"

That is on your link and must be what the Gp is saying.

So, no wiser

they must be some sort of guide though because otherwise how do they tell when they test pregnant women for rubella? (e.g. they told my sis she wasn't immune and needed to have the MMR when she got pregnant!).

I think you'd need a doctor or immunologist to answer the question unfortunately.