MMR vaccines for children help prevent severe COVID-19: Study

Dubai: It’s a mysterious fact since the coronavirus pandemic began. Most children appear to avoid severe cases of COVID-19. The new study provides one possible explanation, which depends on mumps vaccination.Peer-reviewed studies recently published in journals mBio (American Society of Microbiology Open Access Journal) found that there was a “statistically significant inverse correlation” between the “titer” level of mumps and the severity of COVID-19.

Titer is a lab test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in the blood and indicates immunity to the disease. Since March 2020, the MMR vaccine has been theorized to provide protection against severe COVID by reducing the inflammation associated with SARS-CoV-2. But until now, there is no scientific evidence to prove it. This study analyzed MMR markers in patients with recovered (convalescent) COVID-19. The infection of this patient PCR test..

The research team divided 80 COVID-19 convalescent patients into two groups. The first group consists primarily of 50 subjects carrying MMR antibodies from the MMRII vaccine. The second group includes 30 subjects who primarily have MMR antibodies from sources other than the MMR II shot — including previous measles, mumps, and / or rubella illnesses. Both titer and severity levels were measured according to standardized scales. What they found was amazing: the people with the highest antibody titers for mumps had asymptomatic COVID-19.

In the November / December 2020 issue of the journal, researchers were directed to the vaccine and especially the mumps virus among 50 COVID-19 patients under the age of 42 who received MMR II as children. , Their symptoms are not so serious.

Within the MMR II group, a mumps titer of 134-300 arbitrary units (AU) / ml (n = 8) was found only in functionally immune or asymptomatic individuals. People with mild symptoms had a mumps titer of less than 134 AU / ml (n = 17). People with moderate symptoms had a mumps titer of less than 75 AU / ml (n = 11). All who were hospitalized and needed oxygen had a mumps titer of less than 32 AU / ml (n5). “Our results show that there is a significant inverse correlation between the Mumps titer of MMRII and the severity of COVID-19,” the team said.

The 80 convalescent sampling was relatively low, and researchers said it needed to be extended to validate the results. Still, Jeffrey Gold, co-author of the World Organization in Watkinsville, Georgia, said in a statement that the new findings “children have a much lower COVID-19 case rate and a much lower mortality rate than adults. I might explain why. ” .. “The majority of children receive the first MMR vaccination around 12 to 15 months of age and the second MMR vaccination at the age of 4 to 6 years.”

In March 2020, lead researcher Jeffrey Gold introduced the theory after observing that a recent large-scale MMR vaccination campaign was associated with the country with the lowest COVID-19 deaths. .. The same observations were made in another Cambridge study, pointing to protein “homology” (similarity by common ancestors) between the COVID-19 virus and the rubella virus.

Vaccines induce a variety of different antibodies to protect them from the virus, as each part of the antigen stimulates different antibodies. Titer tests determine serum positivity (presence or level in the blood) based on a narrow set of antibody concentrations. However, it does not measure the virus neutralizing power of all the different antibodies associated with the virus. This means that the titer test does not specifically point out which of the many antibodies present in the blood are responsible for killing a particular virus.

Since March 2020, Gold-led scientists have already hypothesized that MMRII may be cross-defensive against COVID-19. However, it has been thought that there is only a narrow subset of measles, mumps, or rubella-related antibodies that may protect against COVID-19. Researchers said they have considered different ways individuals can develop MMR-related antibodies. To determine the difference in potency effects, researchers focused on the age group and the year in which different versions of the vaccine were introduced.

For example, they state that older people, virtually all born before 1957, are more likely to have MMR antibodies from natural infections. On the other hand, individuals may have developed antibodies from the current MMR II vaccine by Merck (first approved in 1979). This includes the Edmundston strain of measles, the Geryllin (B level) strain of mumps, and the Wistar RA27 / 3 strain. rubella.

The team also said that they may have developed antibodies from early separate “monovalent” (one-shot, one virus-targeted) measles, mumps, or rubella vaccines. Nevertheless, individuals may have antibodies from other combination vaccines, including the original MMR vaccine by Merck, taking advantage of the less effective HPV-77 DE-5 strain of rubella.