Infectious Diseases: Four Against Rubella

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Taiwan has the unenviable distinction of getting epidemics ahead of the U.S. It was so with an epidemic of rubella ("German" or "three day" measles) that swept the western Pacific island eleven years ago; the next major U.S. epidemic did not come until 1964. Then it left at least 20,000 and perhaps 30,000 U.S. babies crippled or blinded from viral damage early in gestation. Taiwan is now experiencing another rubella out break and a threatened epidemic; the next is predicted for the U.S. in 1971. But this time, Taiwan is enjoying pre-epidemic benefits: thousands of doses of rubella vaccine, not yet available in the U.S., have been flown to the island and more thousands are on the way. Early reports indicate that one shot of the vaccine gives full immunity against later infection. With enough shots, an epidemic may be averted.

Three U.S. manufacturers are mak ing and testing rubella vaccines. All are based upon a virus strain isolated by Pediatricians Harry M. Meyer Jr. and Paul D. Parkman at the National Institutes of Health. Merck Sharp & Dohme grows the attenuated (weakened though still "live") virus in fertilized duck eggs; Eli Lilly & Co. grows it in cultures of monkeys' kidney cells, while Philips Roxane Laboratories uses dogs' kidney cells. All told, the three companies have had about 20,000 children inoculated in pilot studies.

A fourth vaccine, made in Belgium from a different strain of virus and grown in rabbits' kidney cells, is presently being tested for eventual marketing in the U.S. by Smith Kline & French Laboratories. This vaccine will probably be licensed in Europe by year's end, though U.S. approval will take longer. With four arrows in their quiver, U.S. public health authorities are confident that safe and effective vaccines to be given men and children will be approved in time to prevent future epidemics and thus drastically reduce, if not altogether eliminate, the ravages of rubella against the unborn.