title: Varicella susceptibility among children and healthy adults in the United Arab Emirates.
abstract: The serological evidence of varicella zoster virus infection was determined among healthy individuals from infancy to 47 years of age living in this region. Of 648 people, 126 (19.4%) had no detectable antibody and were susceptible to infection. The overall adult seroprevalence rate was 81.3%. The rate among Emirati citizens increased with age; < 10 years, 45.8%; 11-20 years, 68.4%; 21-30 years, 89.5%; 31-40 years, 94.7%; and > 41 years, 88.9%. Adults from the Indian subcontinent and Philippines had variable prevalence rates and Sri Lankans living in the region were highly serosusceptible (35%). Because of the clinical impact of varicella in adult populations, vaccine prevention might be beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Uduman
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tahira
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Al-Wash
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Usmani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bener
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000208:ethnology; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D010679:Philippines / Q000208:ethnology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000208:ethnology; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine