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ABC News
5 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Australian measles vaccine advice reviewed as research suggests earlier jabs
Some Australian babies could face an increased risk of measles infection because of current vaccination guidelines, according to new research which suggests babies as young as four months may need to be vaccinated. The research lands as Australia's official vaccine advisory body, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisations (ATAGI), reviews existing measles vaccine recommendations. Every region of the world is experiencing a major escalation in measles infections, which has prompted ATAGI to launch the review of Australia's two-dose schedule. In Australia, a first dose is recommended at 12 months of age and a second at 18 months. An early, additional dose can be given at six months in specific situations, such as when a child is travelling to a country where measles is endemic. But new research suggests that might even be too late. Do you have a story to share? Email The Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) has called for authorities to urgently consider whether the first measles vaccine should be recommended at four months of age. Historically, children in their first year of life were thought to be protected from measles by maternal antibodies. These are transferred from mother to child through the placenta during pregnancy and provide temporary protection against the virus. But data has emerged showing these antibodies wane before children become eligible for vaccination, which creates a gap in immunity. MCRI researchers recently published a paper in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, which analysed data from more than 8,000 babies under nine months of age from over 30 low and middle-income countries including China, India, Turkey and South Africa. They found 81 per cent of babies had measles antibodies at birth, but 70 per cent had zero remaining antibodies by the time they were just four months old. Only about 18 per cent of the babies had antibodies at seven months. "In most countries, the number of children who have lost their immunity by three months is very substantial," said Professor Kim Mulholland, who specialises in paediatric immunology and was involved in the research. Previous research showed some babies in Belgium had an absence of measles antibodies as early as two months old, while antibody protection in Dutch babies lasted for about 3.3 to 5.3 months. A four-month dose is already recommended in New Zealand as a prevention tool during outbreaks. Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus and lower vaccination rates combined with increased global travel has led to a surge in cases globally. This year, 77 cases have been recorded in Australia so far, compared to the 57 recorded for the whole of 2024. This upward trend comes as vaccination rates among Australian children reach "critical levels" and, in some cases, have dropped below the threshold needed for herd immunity. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Aged Care said ATAGI was "closely monitoring" the situation and international evidence to inform any updates to vaccine recommendations. The ATAGI review would "ensure that timing and number of doses continues to provide the most effective protection for infants", they said. Professor Mulholland said Australia's immunisation coverage was still stronger than a lot of other countries and an earlier dose would be most critical in countries like Vietnam, where there were currently high infection numbers among young children. Infections are more deadly in children under the age of one and there is also the risk of a phenomenon called immune amnesia — where the immune system forgets how to fight infections it has acquired before. Immune amnesia is not a risk for people protected by the measles vaccine. Willingness to get an extra, earlier vaccine could be low among some groups given the rise of vaccine hesitancy, fuelled by fears about safety and efficacy. There are also some trade-offs to administering an earlier vaccine. Some reports suggest an early dose could be associated with a more rapid decline in antibody levels — so by the time a child is four or five years old they might have lower protection than if they waited longer to receive their first dose. "But measles in a child who has had a vaccine and then has declining antibodies is not as serious at that age, [however] they might circulate it and give it to younger infants who are higher risk," Professor Mulholland said. Archana Koirala, a paediatrician and infectious diseases specialist at the University of Sydney who was not involved in the research, agreed an earlier vaccine had a role to play during outbreaks. She said that was made more relevant due to young adults today having lower levels of antibodies than those in past decades. Research on blood donors published last year found older Australians had much higher levels of measles antibodies than younger adults, because they had grown up during a time when more measles was circulating. "Pregnant women [are now] starting with a low antibody titre [volume], thus less transfer to their infant resulting in faster decay of immunity in infants," Dr Koirala said. Dr Koirala said the arguments for a four-month vaccine had merit, but there were already a lot of kids not keeping up with the recommended vaccinations. "A lot of people aren't aware that if you're going anywhere overseas you should get your baby vaccinated [against measles] from six months," she said. Measles importation after international travel is the most common cause for infections in Australia. Professor Mulholland said Australia needed to make bigger efforts to improve immunisation globally, especially after the US withdrew funding of critical vaccine supply in developing nations. "Measles elimination is possible but it has to be global … Australia is not a country that's been particularly generous when it comes to foreign aid — it's probably time to change that position."
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
University of Melbourne team develops blood test for genetic disease detection
A team at the University of Melbourne in Australia has developed a new blood test for the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases in babies and children. This test, created in collaboration with Murdoch Children's Research Institute, has the potential to replace costly and invasive procedures. According to new research, this test can identify up to 50% of all known rare genetic diseases rapidly. It can assess the pathogenicity of several gene mutations at once without needing to conduct several other functional tests. University of Melbourne associate professor David Stroud said: 'If our blood test can provide clinical diagnoses for even half of the 50% of patients who don't get a diagnosis through genome sequencing, that's a significant outcome as it means those patients don't have to undergo unnecessary and invasive testing such as muscle biopsies, which for a baby requires general anaesthetic and that doesn't come without risks.' The research team compared their blood test to a clinically accredited enzyme test from the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services at MCRI, focusing on mitochondrial diseases. These disorders severely impact energy production in cells, leading to organ dysfunction or failure. The new test demonstrated higher sensitivity and accuracy, delivering faster results than the existing method. The researchers have also received an A$3m ($1.9m) grant from the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund. This funding will aid them in recruiting 300 patients with various genetic disorders into a study to assess the diagnostic test. The institute said the blood test will be offered as a diagnostic service by the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services in the future. "University of Melbourne team develops blood test for genetic disease detection" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
ABC News
21-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Study suggests worsening health in young people
There's a warning that young people could face worsening health outcomes, without urgent action from the government. In an international report published in The Lancet, researchers found adolescents are experiencing rising rates of mental illness, chronic pain and obesity... particularly in wealthier countries like Australia. It also raises the alarm on the unique set of challenges faced by adolescents... as the first digital natives and members of the climate generation. Rachel Hayter spoke with Professor and Leader of the Global Adolescent Health Group at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute Peter Azzopardi.
