Atopy and MMR

Roos M. D. Bernsen, Johannes C. Van Der Wouden

Measles, mumps and rubella infections and atopic disorders in MMR-unvaccinated and MMR-vaccinated children

Vol 19, Issue 6, pp. 544-551

Pediatric Allergy and Immunology

First published: 18 August 2008

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3038.2007.00684.x

Atopy is a genetic tendency to develop allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis (eczema).

In this study researchers found a positive relationship between measles infection and any atopy in a group of MMR-vaccinated children and a negative association between rubella infection and eczema and food allergy in unvaccinated children.

However they concluded that childhood vaccinations do not cause atopy.

Positive association is when the values of one variable tend to increase as the values of the other variable increase.

Negative association is when the values of one variable tend to decrease as the values of the other variable increase.