Immunity Blood Test for Measles - NHS nurse siad they don't work???

[farawaytree]

Anyone heard of this. I took DD for her normal boosters of Tetunus, Whooping cough etc and as I haven't had the MMR booster (we opted for singles) I said I was considering a private blood test to see what the situation was and then decide to go singles again or MMR booster.

This is when the nurse said the blood test does not work? Anyone know?

oooops!

just had a look jimjams - he is pointing! Wayhay!!! And he is just rather clever like his mum. Excellent news.

even if you look at the american literature, they admit that the antibody test is far from perfect. I think it has a small tendency to give false negatives (but you would need to look that up). No-one can give you 100% assurance about anything - whether it's the safety of the jab or the effectiveness of the antibody test. It's just the nature of medicine unfortunately.

jimjams, have kept my ear to the ground about that but so far drawn a blank (tbh thoughI am sure you are in the loop more than I am)
The immunoglobulan is soley tetaus so if he ever was to be exposed to a potential hazard he could have the course. but I'm sure you were already aware of that.

faraway tree. The NHS provides treatment and screening for preventable diseases.
However if the disease is a vaccinatable disease, it is more cost effective for the NHS to offer the vaccine as the primary preventatory method rather than the screening.
However there are always acceptions to the rule and measles immunity will be checked for imunocompramised and pregnant patients who have been exposed.
They work from evidence based paper that would say the most effective (and cost effective) form of immunsation is to have the course of mmr.
it would cost the nhs more to check titre levels for children following every booster till levels were satisfactory then offer titre levels again at puberty.
The levels give you a snap shot of immunity (although with vaccines like heb b there is a titre level that is accepted you will be immune for life.) there is no absolute level for measles that will guarantee immunity.
So, in conclusion, I would presume for cost purposes it is cheaper (and less buerocratic) to immunise all children rather than to check immunity with repetative titre levels.

I'm sure, though, that it's because it would only give you a temporary result - ie, it would tell you your child is immune now, today, but not for how long that immunity will last (if vaccine induced). Could prove to be not immune next week, next month, next year. I don't know if any research has been done into how long immunity given by vaccines lasts - surely there should have been some?

oh my god my spelling is awful "soley tetaus" WTF????
and by the way faraway tree was not angry you!!

This is what the nurse said 'all the test gives you is numbers, and my number might be 50 and yours much better at 100, but everyones number will be different and if we were both exposed to measles you could get it despite a higher number and I might not, because everyones bodies immunity levels are unique and therefore the test cannot tell you if you will go on to catch measles or not! therefore the NHS no longer offer it as it does not work.

Now I understand not all tests are reliable but she was not giving me that answer she was saying it was impossible to read the data and apply that to a propensity to catch it.

Chapsmum - sorry was so ready to be potentially attacked mis-read it.

not at all, I have said this soooo many times, I am a firm beliver in empowerment of pathients to take controll of their own health and illnes throught understanding of the disease.

On reflection thought, the info that jimjams has offered is not so widely avalible to health professionals and has been somewhat dismissed rather than investigated and disgussed. As you have said before the cochrane r/w said the information needed further re-search to conclude the saftey....
To this extend I would say that sometime the HP would perhaps be giving the information that they know to be correct to them.
Again proving the point that this system needs an overhaul!!!

patients jeez!!!