Public health implications of rubella antibody levels in California.
Rubella hemaggluttination inhibition (HI) antibody determinations were performed in 1977 on a sample of California school children and in 1977-1979 on young women who were about to be married or who were pregnant. Among the pupils, 66 per cent reported prior rubella immunization; immunization history was more common in younger pupils. Seventy-seven per cent had detectable antibody, with little trend of greater seropositivity at older ages. Over 86 per cent of those with a written record of immunization had detectable antibody. There was no consistent indication of loss of seropositivity with increasing time since immunization. Children immunized at 12-14 months of age tended to have a lower seropositivity rate than those immunized at older ages. Among young women, the prevalence of detectable antibody was 80-83 per cent. Comparison with data obtained in 1968-1969 indicates that rubella immunization has had a marked impact on antibody levels in children but less impact on levels in teenagers and adults. The pool of rubella-susceptibles entering secondary schools will probably not decrease soon, so that rubella outbreaks may continue in high school and college-age populations. Ultimately, school entry immunization requirements should drastically curtail disease activity. In the interim, programs to immunize teenagers and young adult females must be strengthened. (Am J Public Health 1982; 72:167-172.)
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012409:Rubella / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012494:Sampling Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012411:Rubella Vaccine