Feasibility of measles vaccine: Experience with live attenuated virus vaccine in and around Sevagram

301 susceptible children between 9 months to 59 months of age from villages around Sevagram were immunised against measles with the live attenuated Schwartz strain. Ouster approach was adopted. 95 percent coverage was achieved. Follow up for next 15 days by village health worker revealed mild reactions to measles vaccine in 70(23.25%) Upper respiratory cattarh with or without fever was the commonest finding. Measle like rash was a rare finding (only two children). Acute allergic edema of the vaccinated limb within 12 hof vaccination and rapid response to antihistaminics was an interesting observation in one child. By and large, duration of postvaccinal illness confined to 3–4 days. Thus, considering 95 percent coverage with the single dose vaccine and mild nature of reactions, it is felt that measles vaccine can easily be accepted in rural India.