Measles, Mumps and Rubella

MMR Full Form in English, letter by letter

MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) is a combined live vaccine that protects children against three viral infections in one injection.

MMR Full Form in Indian Languages

Parents in India hear this name at the paediatrician's clinic: MMR, short for Measles, Mumps and Rubella, one vaccine against three infections. Here is the name in six Indian languages.

What the MMR vaccine protects against

MMR stands for Measles, Mumps and Rubella. It is a live attenuated vaccine, meaning it contains weakened forms of the three viruses, given as one injection. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection causing high fever, cough and a spreading rash, and it can lead to pneumonia and encephalitis.

Mumps causes painful swelling of the salivary glands and can occasionally affect the brain or, in adolescent and adult males, the testes. Rubella is usually mild in children but can cause serious birth defects, known as congenital rubella syndrome, if a woman catches it early in pregnancy.

MMR, MR and the Indian schedule

The free government programme does not use MMR. India's Universal Immunisation Programme introduced the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine from 2017, in a phased roll-out that began with a large campaign for children aged 9 months to under 15 years, and it replaced the earlier measles vaccine. The MR vaccine is given at 9 to 12 months, with a second dose at 16 to 24 months, free at government health centres.

MMR, which also contains the mumps component, is available at private clinics and is recommended by paediatric bodies in India. If your child has had two MR doses under the programme, ask your paediatrician whether a separate mumps-containing dose is advisable. Do not repeat vaccines on your own, because the doctor will check the vaccination card first.

Why two doses are needed

One dose of a measles-containing vaccine protects about nine in ten children, and the second dose raises protection to about ninety-seven in a hundred, according to the WHO. Some children do not respond to the first dose, often because antibodies passed on from the mother interfere at a young age. The second dose catches most of them.

A child who misses a dose does not restart the schedule. The vaccine is given at the next visit and the card is updated. Keep the vaccination card safe, because schools and some travel rules ask for proof.

Who should not get the vaccine

Because MMR is a live vaccine, it is not given to people with severely weakened immune systems, for example during chemotherapy or on high-dose immunosuppressant drugs. A child with a high fever on the day is usually vaccinated after recovery. Anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to a previous dose or to a vaccine component should not be revaccinated.

Pregnant women should not receive it, and the usual advice is to avoid pregnancy for four weeks after a dose. For healthy children, there is no reason to delay the scheduled dose.

Side effects and the autism myth

Common reactions are mild and short-lived: a sore arm, a slight fever, and sometimes a faint rash about one to two weeks after the injection. Serious allergic reactions are very rare.

The claim that MMR causes autism came from a 1998 paper that was later retracted, and large studies in many countries have found no link. Like all vaccines, MMR must be kept in the cold chain, between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, so use only a clinic or centre that stores its vaccines properly.

MMR for adults, school and travel

Schools and colleges sometimes ask for vaccination records at admission, and healthcare workers (including students of MBBS and nursing) are usually advised to be protected against measles and rubella. An adult with no record of vaccination or of the diseases can ask a doctor about a dose.

A blood test for measles and rubella antibodies can show immunity. It is most useful for women planning pregnancy, because rubella during pregnancy is the main concern. If you are not immune, vaccination is given before conceiving, not during pregnancy.

For travellers, some countries and employers ask for proof of measles vaccination, particularly for students and healthcare staff, including students of MBBS and nursing. Carry your vaccination card or a doctor's letter. For adults who cannot trace their records, a doctor may suggest a dose without testing, since an extra dose is generally considered safe. Keep a record of the vaccine brand and batch number on the card, and note any reaction, however mild, so that the next doctor can see it. The WHO publishes position papers on measles vaccines if you want the detailed evidence.

MMR guards a child against three infections with one injection. In India the free programme gives the MR version, so ask your doctor which vaccines your child has had, and keep the vaccination card safe.

MMR Full Form: Common Questions