Rubella epidemic in an institution: protective value of live rubella vaccine and serological behavior of vaccinated, revaccinated and naturally immune groups.
A rubella epidemic occurred in an institutional population composed of 189 susceptible, 37 naturally immune, 35 previously vaccinated and 38 serologically uncharacterized children and nursing staff. The epidemic lasted 3.5 months and showed more than 5 waves. Detailed clinical and serological examinations of these subjects were made. A rash appeared in 156 (52%) of 299 persons, including 145 (87%) of 166 unvaccinated and serologically uncharacterized subjects, but not in the 72 immune persons. In the middle of the 3rd wave urgent vaccination of 61 children aged 0 to 2 years of the susceptible group reduced the rate of appearance of a rash to 11 of the children (18%), as compared with 126 (98%) of 128 subjects in the unvaccinated non-immune group. The epidemic only reached a 4th wave in the vaccinated group, but it extended to a 5th wave or more in unvaccinated subjects. None of the 35 subjects in a previously vaccinated group developed rubella, although the rate of subclinical reinfection in this previously vaccinated group was higher (35%) than that in the naturally immune group (17%). Three cases of subclinical reinfection were detected even among 6 previously revaccinated subjects.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007223:Infant; D012409:Rubella / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; D012411:Rubella Vaccine