Rubella susceptibility in sixth graders: effectiveness of current immunization practice.
Rubella hemagglutination inhibition antibody titer was determined for 702 sixth grade students from nine randomly chosen schools in a community served well medically. Rubella immunization had been given by private physicians, the health department, hospital clinics, and through a mass immunization effort in 1970. The overall susceptibility rate, as defined by a rubella hemagglutination inhibition titer of less than 1:8, was 15%. Susceptibility did not differ significantly in regard to sex, race, or source of vaccine. Of 469 children with a documented rubella immunization, 13.2% were susceptible or vaccine failures. Menarche was reported by 30% of the girls. To increase the level of protection against rubella during the childbearing years, continued emphasis on early childhood immunization combined with consideration of a booster rubella immunization for preadolescents is recommended.
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D012409:Rubella / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000276:immunology; D012737:Sex Factors
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012411:Rubella Vaccine