title: Seroepidemiology of varicella-zoster virus in Bangladesh.
abstract: Data on the seroprevalence of antibodies protective against the varicella-zoster virus are needed to develop strategies to prevent varicella infections in Bangladesh. Of 1209 patients evaluated at referral-level health facilities in Dhaka, 943 (78%) had no known history of chickenpox and were tested by latex agglutination for the presence of varicella-zoster antibody in serum. Forty-one per cent (386) of the 943 specimens tested were negative. Seropositivity was highest among neonates (83%), declined sharply to 19% in those aged 7-12 months, and thereafter rose steadily with age until a plateau of 85% was reached after the age of 16 years. This first report of varicella-zoster antibody seroprevalence in Bangladesh suggests that, as in other tropical areas, a significant proportion of children, adolescents and adults are susceptible. Children aged from 15 months to early adolescence might be the most important group to target with the vaccine currently available. However, to ensure successful immunisation, further, population-based seroprevalence data are needed, as are an assessment of the vaccine's acceptability and the accessibility of the target population. Incomplete coverage of young children could result in delayed acquisition, and, ultimately, in more severe disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Bangladesh Institute of Child Health, Popular Diagnostic Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh. sksaha@bangla.net
authors.forename: Samir K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Darmstadt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hanif
authors.forename: Rasel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018881:Suburban Health; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral