Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41035643›Full record

Trial reportFrontiers in immunology2025

No evidence of MMR induced trained immunity to prevent SARS COV2: results from a multi-centre RCT.

Sinead Delany-Moretlwe, Hakim-Moulay Dehbi, Izukanji Sikazwe, George Kyei, Kwadwo Koram, Erik Dubberke, Noluthando Mwelase, Dominic Hague, Linda-Gail Bekker, Linda Yun and 31 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled TrialMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04333732 (An International, Multi-site, Bayesian Platform Adaptive, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial Assessing the Effectiveness of Candidate Agents in Mitigating COVID-19 Disease in Adults), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04333732 phase3completednot on this map

An International, Multi-site, Bayesian Platform Adaptive, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial Assessing the Effectiveness of Candidate Agents in Mitigating COVID-19 Disease in Adults

TypeinterventionalSponsorWashington University School of MedicineRan2020 to 2021Enrolled3,411ConditionsCOVID 19ArmsMR or M-M-R II ® vaccine, Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

41 authors.

Sinead Delany-MoretlweWits RHI, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Hakim-Moulay DehbiComprehensive Clinical Trials Unit, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Izukanji SikazweCentre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
George KyeiNoguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Kwadwo KoramNoguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Erik DubberkeWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Noluthando MwelaseClinical HIV Research Unit, University of Witwatersrand, Helen Joseph Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Dominic HagueComprehensive Clinical Trials Unit, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Linda-Gail BekkerDesmond Tutu Health Foundation, Cape Town, South Africa.
Linda YunWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Annalene NelMedinel, Western Cape, South Africa.
Leon du ToitWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Bruce BiccardDepartment of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Katherine GillDesmond Tutu Health Foundation, Cape Town, South Africa.
Chikumbutso ChipetaCentre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Kathryn T MngadiThe Aurum Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Limakatso LebinaWits RHI, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Reshmi DassayeHIV Prevention Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa.
Villeshni AsariHIV Prevention Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa.
Samantha H FryFamily Centre for Research with UBUNTU (FAMCRU), Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
Edwin TurtonDepartment of Anesthesiology, University of the Free State, Free State, South Africa.
Khatija AhmedSetshaba Research Centre, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Kwadwo KusiNoguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Susan Adu-AmankwahNoguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Roma ChilengiCentre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Joyce Chinyama ChilekwaCentre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Laurence LovatCenter for Perioperative Medicine, Department of Targeted Intervention, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Dermot McGuckinCenter for Perioperative Medicine, Department of Targeted Intervention, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Emilia CaverlyComprehensive Clinical Trials Unit, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Mary PolitiWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Ben SwanWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Anne DeSchryverWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Sherry McKinnonWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Ananya GuptaWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Gemma JonesComprehensive Clinical Trials Unit, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Nicholas FreemantleComprehensive Clinical Trials Unit, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Shabaana KhaderWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Helen ReesWits RHI, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mihai G NeteaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
S Ramani MoonesingheCenter for Perioperative Medicine, Department of Targeted Intervention, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Michael S AvidanWashington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Measles-containing vaccines (MCV), by training innate immune cells, are hypothesized to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: In this international, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned adults, 18 years and older, to receive MCV or saline. The primary outcome was polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed symptomatic COVID-19, up to 60 days after intervention. Secondary outcomes were PCR-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 and serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, up to 150 days after intervention. Results: Of 3411 randomised participants, the modified intention-to-treat population included 1607 in the MCV and 1545 in the saline group. The estimated risk of symptomatic COVID-19 by 60 days was 1.5% in the MCV and 1.2% in the saline group (risk difference, 0.3 percentage points, 95% CI, -0.5 to 1.1; p=0.52). At 150 days, these percentages were 4.1% (65/1585) and 4.1% (64/1544) in the MCV and saline groups, respectively (risk difference, 0.04 percentage points, 95% CI, -1.4 to 1.3; p=0.95). Based on serology results available at 0 and 150 days, 10.6% (100/945) of participants in the MCV and 10.3% (98/951) in the saline group had infection with SARS-CoV-2 over the course of the trial (risk difference, 0.3 percentage points, 95% CI, -2.6 to 3.1; p=0.84). Three patients were hospitalised with COVID-19 disease in the MCV and one in the saline group. Conclusions: Administering MCVs to stimulate trained immunity did not prevent COVID-19 or SARS-CoV2 infection. Stimulating trained immunity might not be useful for preventing respiratory illness during future pandemics. Clinical trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT04333732.

Indexed as

COVID-19Measles-Mumps-Rubella VaccineSARS-CoV-2AdultAgedDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansImmunity, InnateMaleMiddle AgedTrained ImmunityYoung AdultMeasles-Mumps-Rubella VaccineCOVID-19measlesmeasles containing vaccinesmumpspreventionrubellaSARS-CoV-2trained immunity

Identifiers

PMID41035643
PMCPMC12479516

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.