Seroprevalence of measles and rubella antibodies in pregnant women Haiti 2012.

Wednesday, 2nd of November 2016

Vaccine. 2013 Dec 17;32(1):69-73. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.10.071. Epub 2013 Nov 1.

Seroprevalence of measles and rubella antibodies in pregnant women Haiti 2012.

Fitter DL¹ Anselme R² Paluku G³ Rey G⁴ Flannery B⁵ Tohme RA⁵ Marston BJ⁶ Griswold M⁷ Boncy J² Vertefeuille JF⁸.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Haiti had set a national goal to eliminate measles and rubella as well as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2010. A 2007-2008 nationwide measles and rubella vaccination campaign targeting 1-19 years however reached only 79% of the target population. To assess whether population immunity was adequate to support elimination we conducted a national serosurvey.

METHODS:

We systematically selected 740 serum specimens collected from pregnant women in a 2012 national antenatal HIV sentinel serosurvey across four age strata: 15-19 20-24 25-29 and 30-39 years. Sera were tested for measles and rubella specific immunoglobulin G antibodies (IgG) using commercial immunoassays. We classified sera as seropositive seronegative or indeterminate per manufacturers instructions and analyzed seroprevalence according to age strata and rural or urban residence. We assessed immunity by estimating antibody concentrations in international units per milliliter (IU/mL) for seropositive and indeterminate sera. Measles IgG concentrations >0.12 IU/mL and rubella IgG concentrations >10 IU/mL were considered clinically protective.

RESULTS:

Of 740 sera 696 (94.1%) were seropositive and 20 (2.7%) were indeterminate for measles IgG; overall 716 (96.8%) sera had IgG concentrations >0.12 IU/mL. For rubella IgG 691 (93.4%) sera were seropositive and 1 (0.1%) was indeterminate; a total of 687 (92.8%) had IgG concentrations >10 IU/mL. Measles seropositivity varied across age strata (p=0.003); seropositivity increased from 88.6% among 15-19 year olds to 98.4% among 30-39 year olds (Cochran-Armitage trend tes t ≤ 0.0001). Rubella seropositivity did not differ across age strata. There were no statistically significant differences in measles or rubella seropositivity by urban versus rural residence.

CONCLUSION:

Despite previous low vaccination coverage for measles results from this serosurvey indicate high levels of measles and rubella seropositivity in pregnant women and contribute to the evidence for measles rubella and CRS elimination from Haiti by the target date.

Published by Elsevier Ltd.