Measles vaccination timing: finding the right age.

Measles is one of the most ubiquitous and persistent of human viruses. Before generalized vaccination programmes, measles was widely considered an unavoidable disease of children and a part of growing up. This passive acceptance of measles is still held today, particularly in the developing world where measles complications are so severe that the disease is viewed not only as a primary cause of disability and death but as a precursor and aggravator of those great killers of children: pneumonia, diarrhoea and malnutrition (12). Of vital importance is the age at which it is best to vaccine children against measles. Using tropical Africa as a geographic model, this article briefly examines the evolution of minimum age policies since the measles control programmes in Africa began in the 1960s and the expected outcome, and gives recommendations for future research.