Are you immune to Measles?

[defacto7]

The basic CDC rule is that if you were born before 1957 you are considered immune from measles. I was born a few months before 1957 so just for the record I took a titer blood test. It said I had NO immunity to measles whatsoever. My reading for mumps was around 250, Rubella 250 and that's considered high immunity. My reading for Measles was less than 5, the lowest rating and therefore zero immunity. I got the measles vaccine on the spot.

Don't take for granted that you are immune just because of your age. Get a titer test to make sure. Measles in people of age is no picnic and can be serious.

[edhopper]

1. Did you ever have the measles?

That is what would make you immune.

[defacto7]

2. I don't know. I thought I was immunized during my school years.

Immunization was a requirement. I had everything else. I had mumps twice two separate years in a row. I had chicken pox as well and the CDC says if you had chicken pox and were born before 1957 you are probably immune to measles. I've never had rubella that I know of yet I'm immune. That might lead me to think I was MMR immunized.

I'm just saying don't take it for granted. It's easy to check

[muriel_volestrangler]

41. The MMR vaccine was only introduced in 1971

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMR_vaccine

Though a measles-only vaccine was available from 1963, and a rubella-only one from 1969.

In the UK, the MMR vaccine was not available until 1988; I was born in 1967, and received the measles vaccine. Girls my age got the rubella vaccine (since its chief danger is to the fetus in pregnancy), but we boys did not. My elder brother, born 1960, didn't get the measles vaccine, and caught measles as an adult.

[defacto7]

45. Good to know.

That clears some things up.

[Rebl2]

4. I was born in

1957 and had the measles at 13 months old. I asked my rheumatologist (who is an immunologist) about my immunity and she said I should be immune.

[defacto7]

12. That's what I thought.

My doc wasn't recommending the vaccine since I was born in '56. But I asked her to test me anyway, and surprise, no immunity at all. It's easy to check and I had absolutely no side effects from the vaccine. Be well!

[defacto7]

20. I just realized that you said you had the measles.

I'd imagine you are immune.

[live love laugh]

55. I had it but I've read that immunity may go away. I'm going to check further.

[defacto7]

59. That's the safest way to go.

[EYESORE 9001]

3. I didn't receive any MMR immunization

I got ordinary measles, probably rubella (German measles), and mumps during puberty. It’s a wonder I could sire children. I feel relatively sure I have immunity, but some people may have had illnesses or treatments which zeroed-out their immunity.

[defacto7]

13. Yes, I've read about the negation of immunity

from treatments or even some diseases. It makes for good peace of mind to just check on one's immunity as a precaution.

[Tree Lady]

5. I almost died from the measles

In the early 60's, was born in 56 so assumed I was immune.

[defacto7]

19. It's no small thing. Measles can be serious.

Shingles too. That's a must vaccine for sure.

[marybourg]

29. You don't become immune from being born

In a certain year. You become immune from having the measles. You did have the measles and then you became immune.

Measles is so extremely contagious that anyone born before the immunizations were widespread almost certainly contracted the measles in childhood. And became immune. Hence the pre-1956 presumption of immunity..

[defacto7]

39. The year has little meaning

except for statistics. The idea that being immune if born before 1957 is simply riding the stats. Not everyone fits the stats.

[GoodRaisin]

35. Me too.

[defacto7]

46. It's a nasty disease

and there's no reason or excuse to have it this day and age. It should have been eradicated by now.

[biophile]

6. It used be the thinking that if you had it once you were immune forever

But before the MMR, children kept getting measles and therefore naturally boosting adult immunity in those who came in contact with them. Now that children are immunized by vaccination, they are not spreading the virus and adults are no longer getting the kind of natural boosting by proximity. We don’t really know how long immunity lasts from an infection without that constant exposure to sick children. So by all means, check your titer! Your natural immunity could easily have waned in the last 60 years.

[defacto7]

11. When my kids were MMR vaccinated in the 80s

their pediatrician said they might pass some immunity to my wife and I by proximity. I don't know how much it passed on to us if any but that was the thinking at the time. It certainly didn't last until now. Glad I checked and got vaccinated.

[biophile]

14. Yes I think it's an attenuated live virus- it might trigger immunity

I guess it’s not as virulent as a true live infection but still might cause an infection or at least an immune response. Which is the intent, after all ☺️

[Bettie]

7. They did a blood test and I was not immune

so, I got my first dose of the MMR vaccine (had the original one in 1967). Now, they have to do another blood test to see if I'm immune before giving me the second one.

OF course, I think it's just because then they get to charge for more blood work.

[defacto7]

18. I know what you mean.

I try not to second guess my doctor but I do keep the questions rolling and do research when it's important. They're human. I was right to question her this time, but she was very understanding and did the test. Whew.

[Bettie]

24. Oh, mine was annoyed that I asked

but, she said they'd do the test after telling me I was probably immune.

Turned out I was not immune, so....they did the vaxx, I went in for my second dose and they said they needed to test again.

[Demsrule86]

61. My Mom was scared of the vaccine...so she didn't get us vaccinated. My sister

came down with a horrific case of measles...we were quarantined...she was in a dark bedroom for over six weeks. She almost died and was left with droopy left eye and a heart murmur. The doctor came to our house. He gave all four of us a vaccine...said it should make the case less severe...there were five kids. We all got measles but the four who were vaccinated after my sister got measles had light cases. My father was traveling...he traveled quite a bit back then. When he got home, he and my Mom had a terrible fight...called her irresponsible and foolish. When she admitted we were not vaccinated for polio either. He took us himself when we were out of quarantine to get the polio vaccine. I honestly thought my parents would divorce.

It was that bad. Mom was a nurse... and like many nurses she doctored us at home...we got scarlet fever from untreated strep...we broke our arm and I broke my collar bone...and waited 24 hours before we went to the doctor...my sister jokes that thank God she was in the Marine Corp when she had appendicitis or it would have burst with mom in charge. When I broke my ankle the day before Christmas when the kids were small, I thought it was a sprain...we drove from Georgia to Connecticut...16 hours in an ice storm for the first six hours.

We sent the presents ahead. This was in the Santa Claus years and the kids would be devastated. My Mom took one look at my ankle and announced it was broken. She said you won't make Christmas if you go to the ER. She set it her self (it hurt!!) put a light cast on it and Dad got me a boot. As soon as I got home, I went to the doctor, and he was horrified...muttered about pins and nurses who thought they were doctors....he came back laughing and said she had set it perfectly.

[defacto7]

64. Wow. What a story.

I'm not sure what to say except that I'm glad you made it through all of that.

I've had every vaccine there is, now. I just counted and I haven't had the flu since I was 19. That's 49 years and 48 flu shots. I finally got the measles shot, all the covid shots and never had it. The list goes on. Vaccines are probably the best thing science has invented for human health, in my opinion.

[Mariana]

70. My doctor wasn't even going to bother with the blood test.

Lots of people vaccinated for measles in 1967 got the vaccine before 12 months old, including me. He was just going to have me take the MMR until I told him I had measles in 1973. This was about 7 years ago.

[dsc]

8. I wasn't sure about my vaccine status

since I was born in 1967 and the better version came out when I was a teen. My doctor was fairly close to retirement when I was her patient so I couldn't get records from there, my health department didn't have them, I wasn't able to track down through my school. Since I am a teacher, I felt I should get a vaccine just in case. It is a fair critique that I should have been able to track down my records if I was willing to take the time to do so, but I just got the shot.

[defacto7]

17. It's better to be sure.

I feel relieved that I checked and got it.

[dsc]

23. My doctor and the pharmacist said the vaccine was easy enough that the test was unnecessary

I do feel bad in the sense that I may have wasted a dose if I didn't really need it but I didn't see any way to find out for sure. My parents are both dead as are all my grandparents. My remaining aunts weren't close enough to know either. At least people now have electronic records going back so they won't be in the same position.

[sakabatou]

9. I got the MMR vaccine as a kid, so yes. I should be immune.

[defacto7]

15. I hope so! I guess it can go both ways.

You can always check to be sure next time you see the doctor.

[sakabatou]

27. I only see them maybe once a year.

[phylny]

10. I had my titers checked for MMR

and had robust immunity. I was born in 1958 - I had the mumps but not measles or rubella and was vaccinated for both.

[defacto7]

16. Hooray! Glad to hear it works.

[mucholderthandirt]

21. I had the German measles, was sent home from school.

I had mumps (both sides) when my siblings did, the four of us at the same time, in one room. Daddy only spoke to us from the doorway, he'd never had them.

As far as I know, I didn't have any other childhood diseases, no chickenpox. Back then, we didn't have all the vaccines my kids got. I did get the polio one (first on the sugar cube, then the shot) I was born in February of 1958.

All my boys had chickenpox, I never had any reactions to it, but I did take care to not touch them with my bare hands, and washed thoroughly afterwards.

[defacto7]

22. I had mumps on one side one year,

then I had it on the other side a year later. I guess it happens, but we didn't think you could get it more than once.

[LeftInTX]

58. I had all of them, but my german measles was asymptomatic. (Slight sore throat) My mom send me to school.

My sister came down with them the next day.

I had a german measles titre done before I was pregnant.

[Demsrule86]

62. I had the test for immunity of German measles every time I was pregnant.

But I was never immune? Go figure.

[milestogo]

25. I had the measles, and I had the vaccine.

Later I got shingles, and then I had the vaccine.

Enough.

Shingles is awful. I hope RFK Jr gets it.

[defacto7]

47. Yeah. I've heard that shingles is bad news.

I think I've also heard it's one of the things that can undermine immunity to other illnesses. You might check that. I don't want to play doctor.

[milestogo]

51. You get shingles when your immunity is low.

[elleng]

26. Prolly. Think I had measles and chicken pox,

NOT mumps, but my younger brother gave DAD mumps!

Have had 2 shingles vaccines. DAD had shingles, a 'few' years ago.

[defacto7]

48. Shingles sounds terrible.

[no_hypocrisy]

28. Two months ago, I had a measles titre taken to check for immunity.

Along with the polio titre for the same reason.

I'm good to go.

I even remember getting both vaccines in the early 60s.

[defacto7]

49. Vaccines work!

Tell that to the idiots in power not that they listen or care.

[Liberal In Texas]

30. Tested immune to measles.

Mumps however, not tested immune. But I recall my younger brother had the mumps back in the day and I never got it.

[defacto7]

50. I need to read up on mumps.

I don't know how prevalent it is or how serious. On my to-do list.

[nilram]

31. My pharmacist said vaccines from 1957-1964 were less effective

than those afterwards. I kept forgetting to ask my doctor for a titer, so I just got the vaccine. The CDC site also says there's little to no reason not to. Better safe than sorry. No side-effects from the shot.

[defacto7]

40. That's what I'm thinking.

There's no reason not to get it.

[Raine]

32. Yes had measles as a kid, never had them again. nt

[defacto7]

42. That's good news.

There are some illnesses or treatments that cancel immunity to things like measles like cancer treatments. There are others but I'd rather not pass on details I could be wrong about.

[purple_haze]

33. I have no idea whatsoever

but I am totally unable to take vaccines and have been since childhood, so I stick to lifestyle choices to keep healthy (knock on wood so far)

[johnp3907]

34. Yes.

I had a titer test about 2 months ago.

[Jack Valentino]

36. Don't know if I am "immune" from measles, but got the Rubella vaccination as a child

when mass vaccinations were performed at my elementary school,
sometime around 1970 or shortly thereafter....

May have been another such vaccination around the same time,
but less sure about that now...

I already had the mumps around age 5-6, so I guess I'm safe on that one---
seems like it was somewhat traumatic for a day or two, but kept me out of school for a few days...

I have two memories of the mumps---
being taken into my parents' bed at the worst point, and crying and moaning---

and later, when I was recovering, being able to run outside in my backyard
through a mass of seeding dandelions on my bare legs... quite the better memory

(guess I was in kindergarten that year, probably late spring 1969)

[defacto7]

43. Yeah. I remember what it was like. twice.

[spanone]

37. I just had the shot again.....

[LudwigPastorius]

38. I was born after 1957.

I had the live measles vac. when I was a year old, and again when I was 27 years old.

I'm 62 now, and suspect that I am immune, although I don't know for sure.

[defacto7]

44. Just get a titer test or the shot.

Then you'll know for sure.

[bayberry]

52. Can you get a titer for everything to check antibodies?

My dog had a titer for rabies last time instead of the vaccine, levels were OK. The vet said we could use that as proof and she has seen 1 rabies vaccine last the lifespan of the pet…

[LetMyPeopleVote]

53. I remember having measles with my two siblings all at the same time

I would still like to check my immunity levels at some point

[Jilly_in_VA]

54. I had a really bad case in January, 1951

I was 9, and I don't remember being that sick ever before. I don't remember much of the first 2-3 days of it. I do remember a lot of the last week of it, when I still wasn't allowed to read (they were afraid that if you strained your eyes for the whole quarantine period, you'd go blind) and how annoyed I was.

My husband was born in 1952 and had to get tested for his immunity because he didn't remember whether he'd had them or not. He's immune.

[maveric]

56. Yes

Had measles in 1963 with all the other kids in my baby-boomer. Neighborhood.
No one died.

[Dave says]

60. My readings for MMR 0, 0, 0

Due to a medical procedure I had a while back.

What other type of vaccines does one have in childhood and beyond (excluding those we get every year)?

[defacto7]

65. Polio, Pertussis, Tetanus

That's all I can think of. Polio is loose again. It's a good one to check on. You can get boosters. Whooping cough can be pretty bad.

[Danmel]

63. I was vaccinated as a child

But when I was in grad school in 1983, in Boston, someone on campus had the measles and we all had to receive a booster, so I should be good.

[PufPuf23]

66. Born in 1953 and had measles and mumps before age 9.

Had chicken pox age 34. Ended up in hospital.

[vanlassie]

71. Oh wow.

What were the factors that put in hospital?

[PufPuf23]

72. Chicken pox blisters just about everywhere including down windpipe and into lungs (or so was told).

Lesions got worse over several days. Thought was going to be scarred for life.

Was a grad student at Cal (February 1987). Was very sick and having trouble breathing. Called student health services. Described how felt and age. Told to come to Cowell immediately. Put in the hospital.

Described how felt. There was chicken pox in Berkeley daycares and elementary schools. Other Cal students had chicken pox. I just happened to be older and had an exceptionally bad case. After several days in hospital was generally safe and was allowed to go home but not be left alone. From call to health service to first time out of house was about 3 weeks. Ended up sitting in corn starch bath sipping brandy. Housemate and woman was dating took me to Fenton's Ice Cream and to see Raining Arizona at Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland first time left home. The ordeal was tough and effects lasted for months.

[mvd]

67. Yes, I had the vaccine

My mom had the measles when she was 12, so she is also immune.

[Unhappycamper78]

68. My local doc office closed today...

Suspected case of Measles. They are gonna kill so many of us.

[Ilsa]

69. Had measles as a baby.

Booster at age 31. A few years later my titer was checked when I got pregnant, and it was 100 times a normal titer. I'll never need another measles vax.