Trans Med Soc Lond. 1993-94; 110(): 119-21.

Sir John McNee bequest summary of a report on a period of elective study immunization rates in Moscow preschool children.

Bourne RR, Ivanov VA, McKenzie SA.

London Hospital Medical College.

We describe childhood immunization rates in a sample of Muscovite children and attitudes towards child immunization. Of 19 children, 57% of children were up-to-date with diphtheria and tetanus immunization, 47% with pertussis, 59% with oral poliovirus, 91% with tuberculosis and 51% with measles. There was no evidence of fear about infections by needles, preference for alternative medicine or unavailability of vaccines. Immunization rates amongst pre-school Muscovite children are low but not that much different from those in some areas of the United Kingdom in the 1980s or areas of the United States at present. Medical advice against immunization was the main reason for failure.