A measles epidemic threatens local children because of "abysmal" immunisation levels, a Wandsworth health expert warned this week.

It comes after latest Department of Health figures showed only 73.3 per cent of two-year-olds in the area have had the three-in-one, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab - a drop of 13 per cent since 1996.

The World Health Organisation says that immunisation levels should be between 90 and 95 per cent to protect public health.

In 1998, researchers at London's Royal Free Hospital said MMR immunisation may lead to autism or bowel disease. They claimed taking single jabs for all three diseases would be safer.

But Doctor David Elliman, the immunisation expert for Wandsworth and Merton and Sutton Primary Care Trusts, dismissed such fears and said that medical opinion around the world had concluded there was no such link.

He said: "Measles is a very infectious disease. These figures are abysmal and there will be outbreaks at that level.

"Because it is an average figure, there are levels that are going down to just over 60 per cent in some pockets."

He added: "The publicity about MMR has been very selective. It is spin put out by individual researchers or the newspapers. I can understand why, after all the confusing publicity, parents may be anxious.

"All the evidence shows the best way to protect children against the disease is by using the combined MMR vaccine."

Wandsworth health chiefs have now launched a summer campaign to advise parents to immunise their children with the MMR jab before visiting countries where measles is still common.

They fear children will infect each other at the beginning of the autumn term if immunisation levels do not rise.

In February, 11 children from Wandsworth contracted measles after an outbreak at Whitehouse School in Clapham Park.

Dr Elliman said: "Europe still has a problem with measles, for instance with outbreaks of it in parts of Italy. It is not the exotic locations but places that people are commonly going to and mixing with the local population.

"If your child is not immunised and was damaged by measles, could you forgive yourself?"

Please contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 for MMR details.

July 8, 2002 17:00