Measles Antibody Immunity from Zero to Eighteen (MAIZE)
Participating Sites and National Principal Investigator
Dr. Shelly Bolotin
British Columbia
BC Children’s Hospital (Vancouver)
Alberta
Alberta Children’s Hospital (Calgary)
Stollery Children’s Hospital (Edmonton)
Saskatchewan
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital (Saskatoon)
Ontario
Children's Hospital London Health Sciences Centre (London)
McMaster Children’s Hospital (Hamilton)
The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto)
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (Ottawa)
Kingston Health Sciences Centre (Kingston)
Quebec
CHU Sainte-Justine (Montreal)
Montreal Children’s Hospital
Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Laval (Québec City)
Newfoundland
Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre (St. John’s)
What Do We Want To Know?
We want to understand how well children in Canada are protected against measles by measuring measles antibodies in blood samples.
This will help identify age groups or regions where immunity may be lower and where outbreaks could occur.
How Are We Doing It?
We are testing previously collected leftover blood samples from children aged 1–17 years that were originally collected for another POPCORN project, CURNLS.
These samples will be tested in the laboratory to measure measles antibodies, and results will be analyzed by age, vaccination eligibility, and province.
When Will I Be Needed?
Participants are not required to do anything.
This project uses leftover blood samples that were already collected as part of routine medical care.
How Is The Project Going?
Public health approval has been received to conduct sample testing in Ontario and Quebec, and ethics are underway for other participating provinces.
Sample testing and data analysis are underway in 2026.
Who Is Included?
Children aged 1 to 17 years whose leftover blood samples were previously collected for the CURNLS project will be used for the testing.
No new blood samples are collected, and no contact with families is required.
Image of science/lab equipment