MMR Information

MMR Immunization Requirement

 
Background Information for Measles (Rubeola)
Background Information for Mumps
Background Information for Rubella (German Measles)
The MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) Vaccine
Who Should Not Get the MMR?

Frequently Asked Questions about the MMR
I live off campus/am part time. Why do I have to get vaccinated?
I'm sure that I've already have had the shots, I just can't get the
records. What should I do?
I don't like the idea of getting shots or putting potentially dangerous
agents in my body. What should I do?

Background Information for Measles (Rubeola)
Measles is an extremely infectious viral illness most commonly associated with childhood. It is so infectious that a non-immune person has a greater than 90% chance of catching this disease if they are exposed to the virus. Prior to 1963 there were approximately 3-4 million cases, with greater than 500 deaths, every year in the United States and more than 90% of college age Americans had had the illness.

Like many childhood illnesses, it is more severe in adults and is occasionally responsible for serious long-term health problems. Pneumonia, ear infections, encephalitis (an infection surrounding the brain), and seizures may all occur. Between 1 and 2 out of every 1000 patients die from this illness.

A vaccine was developed in 1963 and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of cases in the United States. In fact, by 1983 only 1,497 cases were reported. The vaccine, and later modifications to it, was a striking success. Currently, the measles vaccine may be given by itself, but it is more commonly given together with the vaccines for mumps and rubella - the MMR.

But while the measles virus was down, it was not defeated. The years 1989-91 showed a dramatic increase in the incidence of the disease, and this was almost entirely attributable to lack of universal immunization.

Rutgers University had its own measles outbreak in 1994. Numerous students fell ill (luckily there were no fatalities), and the University nearly had to shut down. Thousands of students had to be immunized by the Health Services.

Measles still occurs frequently abroad, as many foreign countries have not been vigilant in vaccinating their populations. For an epidemic to begin, only one student needs to become infected abroad, then return to Rutgers. Those who are not immune will quickly catch the disease. It is postulated that this is what triggered our 1994 outbreak.

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Mumps, particularly in adulthood, is a serious illness. In addition to just making you feel lousy, mumps may affect the brain (meningitis and encephalitis), and, in men, the testes. Approximately 1 in 20,000 patients go deaf, and as many as 3 in 10,000 actually dies. In men, up to half will develop testicular inflammation that often leads to small testes and rare sterility.

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Background Information for Rubella (German Measles)
Rubella is another viral illness most closely associated with childhood, although it affects all age groups. Prior to the development of a vaccine in 1969 there were around 58,000 cases every year in the United States. It is a less severe illness than either measles or mumps but may be rarely fatal. Adult women frequently develop painful joints that usually subside in around one month.

The major health issue with rubella is in regards to birth defects. Early in a pregnancy this is a disastrous disease, leading to fetal death, premature delivery, and an array of congenital defects. It is for this reason that health professionals are particularly concerned about rubella.

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The MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) Vaccine
Measles, mumps, and rubella immunizations are usually combined into one shot - the MMR. Each may also be given separately.
The MMR is a live, attenuated vaccine. This means that the viruses that causes measles, mumps, and rubella have been weakened to the point where they rarely cause any problems, but are still able to reproduce and cause your body to form protective antibodies. It is a safe and effective vaccine that is rarely associated with complications. Those that do occur are listed below.

• Fever: The most common adverse effect, seen in 5%-15% of patients usually occurring 7-12 days after the injection and lasting 1-2 days. Treat with Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen)
• Rash: A mild rash may be seen 7-10 days after immunization with the measles or rubella portion of the MMR.
• Bleeding Problems: Very rarely there may be a decrease in a blood component called platelets. This may sometimes cause excessive bleeding, but this is a very rare event.
• Swollen Lymph Nodes (glands): Rarely occurs. Resolves spontaneously.
• Joint Symptoms: The rubella portion of the MMR may cause joint pain. Adult women who have never been vaccinated before are particularly susceptible, with up to 25% of them developing some symptoms 1-3 weeks after vaccination. Symptoms are usually mild, and resolve without treatment in 1 day to 3 weeks. There is no association between the vaccine and chronic arthritis.
• Allergic Reactions: Rare and usually mild. Severe reactions are extremely rare.

Center for Disease Control Vaccine Information Statement

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Who Should Not Get the MMR?
The following groups of people should not receive the MMR:

• Persons with severe allergy (i.e. hives, swelling of the mouth or throat, difficulty breathing, and shock) to gelatin or neomycin, or who have had a severe allergic reaction to a prior dose of the MMR should probably not get the vaccine. Egg allergy used to be considered a reason not to vaccinate, but is now known to be safe. Other allergies (e.g. to penicillin) also do not increase the risk of a reaction.
• Women known to be pregnant should not receive the measles component of the vaccine. Pregnancy should be avoided for three months following vaccination. There is no danger to a pregnant woman being in close contact with someone who has received the vaccine and women who breastfeed may receive the vaccine.
• Students with moderate to severe illness should not be vaccinated. This is not dangerous, but it can sometimes be hard to tell if fevers and other symptoms are from the illness or the vaccine. Those with more mild illnesses (e.g. colds, ear infections) may be vaccinated, as may those on antibiotics.
• Students with severe immunosuppression (e.g. advanced AIDS, leukemia and some other major diseases, or those taking high doses of cortisone type medications for an extended time) should not be vaccinated.
• The university also recognizes that there are a very few students who do not take immunizations for religious reasons. Those students may be exempted from the requirement with proper documentation.

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I live off campus/am part time. Why do I have to get vaccinated?
To begin with, it's the law. Secondly, it's still the right thing to do. Universities, or other areas where people closely congregate, are breeding grounds for infectious diseases. Classes, dining halls, professors' offices are all areas where infections may be potentially spread. By protecting you, we are also protecting all those who come in contact with you.

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I'm sure that I've already have had the shots, I just can't get the records. What should I do?
The easiest thing is to just repeat the shots. If you are already immune, the extra shots are unlikely to hurt you (adverse reactions actually go down with every MMR you get). You could also do the blood test to see if you are immune, but to get tested for all three costs more than the shot, and if you were not immune you would still need to get vaccinated.

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I don't like the idea of getting shots or putting potentially dangerous agents in my body. What should I do?
While there is some risk in almost everything we do - including crossing College Avenue - the risks associated with the MMR are exceedingly small (see above comments about the vaccine). The Illnesses that the vaccine protects against are much more dangerous and can sometimes lead to long term disability or death. This vaccine has saved literally thousands of lives. In other words the smart thing is to just get the shot. The alternative is to get the blood test that might show immunity, but it is a small added expense, and if you are not immune then you will need the vaccine anyway.  Exemption from the requirement is also available to those with bona fide religious or medical concerns.

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Last Modified 02/06/2007