1 May 2026Vaccines, immunoglobulins and antisera
Measles vaccine
Measles vaccine guidance for routine and catch-up vaccination, including earlier dosing in higher-risk settings.
This guide page is for structured reference only and does not replace a clinician, pharmacist, or emergency review. Dose choice, route choice, interactions, and safety decisions still need professional judgment.
Indications
Prevention of measles.
Composition, forms, route of administration
- Live-attenuated virus vaccine derived from different viral strains such as Schwarz, Edmonston, CAM70, and Moraten.
- Powder for injection in single multidose vial, to be dissolved with the diluent supplied by the manufacturer, for SC or IM injection into the anterolateral part of the thigh in children under 2 years and into the deltoid muscle in children 2 years and over.
Dose and vaccination schedule
Routine vaccination
- Child between 9 and 12 months: one dose of 0.5 ml.
- The WHO recommends a second dose between 15 and 18 months, with at least 4 weeks between doses.
- Where there is high risk of infection such as overcrowding, epidemics, malnutrition, or infants born to a mother with HIV infection, administer a supplementary dose from 6 months of age, then continue the vaccination schedule.
Catch-up vaccination
- Children under 15 years who have missed either one or both doses of routine vaccination should be vaccinated when they come in contact with health services. Check national recommendations.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to patients with severe immune depression or history of allergic reaction to a previous injection of measles vaccine.
- Vaccination should be postponed in the event of severe acute febrile illness; minor infections are not contra-indications.
- May cause mild local reactions such as pain and redness at the injection site, fever, skin rash, and rarely seizures, encephalitis, or anaphylactic reaction.
- If administered simultaneously with other vaccines, use different syringes and injection sites.
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: avoid.
- Combination vaccines that include measles and rubella (MR) or measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) may also be available where included in the national programme.
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page reproduces the structured reference information for this batch while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections.
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