Immunisations: MMR

Measles is an acute viral illness spread by infected respiratory droplets. Symptoms, after a ten-day incubation period, can include corzya, conjunctivitis, bronchitis, Koplik spots, rash and fever.

Mumps is an acute viral illness characterised by swelling of the parotid glands, which may be unilateral or bilateral. It can cause permanent unilateral deafness at any age. The incubation period is 14-21 days. Before vaccination, mumps was a common cause of viral meningitis.

Rubella, or German measles, is a mild infectious disease with an incubation period of 14-21 days. Maternal rubella infection in the first eight to ten weeks of pregnancy results in foetal damage in up to 90% of infants. Multiple defects are common, and are collectively known as Congenital Rubella Syndrome

A vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella exists and since 1998 has been administered as part of the combined MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.

Latest figures for uptake of the MMR vaccine show a slight increase from 90.9% for children born in the first quarter of 2004, to 91.9% for those born in second quarter of 2004. Uptake of MMR at 24 months has seen an increase across the majority of NHS Boards in Scotland through there is considerable variation in MMR uptake across NHS Boards.

Direct links to the relevant tables and charts, on the Child Health section of the ISD website, are provided below:

• Childhood immunisation uptake rates for MMR: up to 31st December 2006 for Scotland and by Health Board
• Uptake rates over time by age
• Time trends for Scotland and NHS Board
• Childhood immunisation quarterly uptake rates and uptake rates by calendar year (January to December 2006) by Community Health Partnership
• Maps showing uptake of MMR immunisations in Scotland by postcode sect

Information on the incidence of measles, mumps and rubella is available from the MMR section of the HPS website.