The threat of a measles outbreak in England has prompted senior scientists on both sides of the Border to urge parents to make sure their children have two doses of the MMR jab.

Figures released yesterday by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that the number of confirmed cases of children suffering from measles was higher than expected at this time of year. Last year, there were 756 cases reported during the whole of 2006 - 480 cases have already been reported this year.

In the wake of the disclosure, health experts appealed to parents to get their children vaccinated against the disease, which can be life-threatening.

Dr Katy Sinclair, the epidemiologist at Health Protection Scotland, said the take up of MMR in Scotland was good and they were only 0.6% short of meeting the 95% target set by the Scottish Executive, but she warned there was no room for complacency. She said: "It is extremely important children get vaccinated. It is still a nasty disease, and the best and most effective way of protecting against measles is the MMR vaccine. It has the extra benefit of protecting against mumps and rubella."

MMR was thrust into the public spotlight in 1998 when Dr Andrew Wakefield and colleagues published a scientific theory suggesting a link between the jab and autism and bowel disease. The government insisted there was no link but many parents worried by scaremongering headlines chose not take up the jab.

Some parents went private for their children to have single jab vaccines rather than the combined jab, and others chose not to have their children vaccinated at all.

At the lowest point in 2003, the number of children vaccinated in Scotland fell to 85.8%. Dr Wakefield is currently appearing before the General Medical Council (GMC) on charges relating to the research.

Ms Sinclair, like Dr Mary Ramsay, the corresponding epidemiologist in England, reminded parents it was never too late to give their children the MMR.

Dr Ramsay urged English parents to put the MMR jab on their "to-do" list before their children returned to school. She said: "Over the summer holidays we have seen more cases of measles being reported than we would normally expect. This means it is crucial that children are fully immunised with two doses of MMR before they return to school."

A spokesman for the HPA said cases of measles were currently occurring in unvaccinated school-age children across all social groups.

Measles is most common among infants aged one to four who have not been immunised, but can strike older children and adults too. Babies are normally given their first dose of the MMR jab around 13 months old.

Scottish update

  • There have been five confirmed cases of measles so far this year.
  • Figures for previous years are, 2006 - 28 cases, 2005 - one, 2004 - two, 2003 -15.
  • Scotland has a higher vaccine coverage for MMR than England.
  • MMR vaccine uptake has been improving from a low of 85.8% in June 2003.
  • A concerted effort to improve coverage included continued actions by NHS Boards to improve uptake.
  • A new target of 95% uptake of at least one dose of MMR by the age of five has been set.