Had single vaccines for Measles, mumps - do I need boosters?

[mum2twins]

My twins are now 4 and had the measles, mumps as single vac's (my Dr could not get hold of single rubella anymore). Do I need to get more single boosters? and if yes anyone know when?

I read on a post recently that not everyone needs the booster. A blood test can be done to see if the child is immune. You do have to pay for this though.

Boosters are normally done between 3-5 years old.

my dd1 had the single vacs and we happen to know she has measles immunity, so the health visitor actually said she wouldn't need the booster. Naughty her! ( but I am glad).

I had my son's (now 4) vaccines done seperately in 2001 and he is going for his measles booster mid august.

ok - I am really confused now. This is the email message I have just had back from the GP that did the original single vaccines.

Nice to hear from you, and hope you are all well.
They are supposed to have a booster but there are no single vaccines in the UK to my knowledge.
Your options are:

1. do nothing ? there is a 90%+ chance the vaccines will have taken
2. get immunity blood tests done
3. get them to have an MMR booster each

Does anyone know if the content of this is true?

He is talking rubbish - there are plenty of single vaccines about! Mumps is problematic as government pressure on Aventis Pasteur is preventing imports atm, though this may soon change, but there are plenty of rubella and measles vaccines. Where are you in the country? BTW If you are prepared to vaccinate, I do think rubella is important as if you pass it on to a non-immune pregnant woman the results can be catastrophic.
Boosters are recommended, even by single vaccine practitioners, though single vax can be more effective than the MMR anyway - esp for mumps.

We are in Surrey or Near South London. Is it advisable to boost the single then?

You could have the blood test instead, and then have the rubella for the first time. Direct Health 2000 has London clinics and supplies of measles and rubella vaccines. Was on the phone to them only this week. They recommend boosters btw.

thanks aloha. Next question is when for the boosters? They had their Measles at 18m, mumps 36m and we could never get the rubella. They are just 4, so apart from the rubella which they will need, when for the others?

Dh2000 recommend just before school. But you could call and ask, esp as they had mumps so recently.

I agree that it is a load of rubbish. If there are no single vaccines, how is it that both of my boys are having their measles (oldest is having booster) jabs in 5 weeks time??

your GP would say that mum2twins - it is the 'party line' so to speak. GPs are supposed to espouse the MMR philosophy and not the single vaccination route. There are single vacs about but of course you have to find them and pay for them!

Thanks everyone.
Donnie - that is the weird thing this GP isn't actually my GP he is the guy I originally found through jabs who was doing the singles privately. I wonder if he has stopped doing it due to 'pressure'! Well looks as if I will need to find someone else to do them.

I have found the private GP's website and found this statement on it! Obviously doesn't want to do it anymore! and a totally different attitude from a couple of years ago where he strongly believed in patients choice.

I am afraid I no longer perform the single antigen vaccine alternative to MMR as I am unable to obtain any more vaccines.

My advice (as it is to all my patients both NHS and private) is to get your child vaccinated with MMR by your NHS GP surgery.

I personally believe MMR is quite safe, despite all the media interest, as there is still no proven causal link between MMR and Autism or Crohn's disease. There is however plenty of high quality evidence linking Measles and Mumps to very serious illness, brain damage and death.

On balance, I think any possible risk there may yet be proven with the MMR is far outweighed by the protection it offers against the known complications of Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

I asked this recently which might be of interest.

There seems to be a window of time (between 3 and 5 yrs) that the booster is done. I am considering leaving it until the upper end of this when they are nearly 5 - and then using the MMR as the booster (having had single jabs the first time).

I was concerned, as babies, about the potential developmental concerns (ie autism) and MMR, which is why we went the single route. I have tried to find out whether the same potential problems could apply to an older child of 5 suddenly becoming autistic after vaccination and have not found anything really, so feel happier about MMR for older children.