Seroprevalence of Measles Antibodies in a Highly MMR-Vaccinated Population

As an extremely contagious pathogen, a high rate of vaccine coverage and the durability of vaccine-induced immunity are key factors to control and eliminate measles. Herein, we assessed the seroprevalence of antibodies specific to measles in a cohort of 1393 adults (20-44 years old). ELISA results showed a nontrivial proportion of 37.6% study subjects being negative for measles immunoglobulin G (IgG). We also found significant influences of sex and age of the study cohort on the IgG level. Our findings suggest that even within a highly vaccinated population, a subset of individuals may still have sub-optimal immunity against measles and potentially be susceptible during any future measles outbreaks.

Automated summary

The study found that even in a highly vaccinated population, a significant proportion of adults lack immunity to measles, with gender and age influencing the immune response.