Postexposure prophylaxis is the provision of medication (or antisera) to prevent disease in persons who are not protected against a particular disease by vaccination but who have been exposed to it.
Indications (areas of application)
- Individuals with unclear vaccination status, without vaccination, or with only one vaccination in childhood after contact with measles patients:
- At the age of 6-8 months: exceptionally after individual risk-benefit assessment (off-label use).
- At the age of 9-10 months.
- At the age of 11 months to 17 years.
- At the age of ≥ 18 years, born after 1970.
- Unprotected persons at high risk of complications from contraindicated active vaccination after contact with measles patients:
- Infants aged <6 months
- Susceptible pregnant women
- Immunodeficient patients
Implementation
- A single vaccination with MMR vaccine should be given within 3 days of exposure, if possible.* MMR(V) = MMR with or without coadministration of VZV vaccine.
- At 6-8 months of age: 1st vaccination; 2nd and 3rd vaccination should be given at 11-14 and 15-23 months of age.
- Otherwise:
- 1st vaccination; the 2nd vaccination should be done at the beginning of the second year of life.
- Unvaccinated or persons with unclear vaccination status receive two vaccinations at intervals of > 4 weeks; previously vaccinated once receive one vaccination.
- Unvaccinated or persons with unclear vaccination status or with only one vaccination in childhood receive a single vaccination.
