Recurrent Thrombocytopenic Purpura After Repeated Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination

In a review of adverse events associated with childhood vaccines, the Vaccine Safety Committee of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 1993 concluded that a causal relationship exists between live-virus measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination and thrombocytopenia.1 This finding was based on case reports of temporally associated onset of acute thrombocytopenia purpura and MMR vaccination,2,3 population-based surveillance of adverse vaccine reactions in Sweden4 and Finland,5 and demonstrated decreases in platelet concentrations after measles vaccination with the Edmonston B strain.6 The IOM committee also noted that children with prior histories of thrombocytopenia may be at an increased risk of recurrence after MMR vaccination.