Susceptibility to measles, mumps, and rubella in newly arrived adult immigrants and refugees.
BACKGROUND
Despite effective vaccination programs for measles, mumps, and rubella in the United States and Canada, outbreaks continue to occur in susceptible subgroups, such as foreign-born persons.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the susceptibility of newly arrived immigrants and refugees to measles, mumps, and rubella.


METHODS
Seroprevalence study.


METHODS
Two hospitals and three community clinics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.


METHODS
1480 adult immigrants and refugees who were recruited from October 2002 to December 2004.


METHODS
Sociodemographic and clinical data and serology for measles, mumps, and rubella.


RESULTS
Thirty-six percent (range, 22% to 54%) of the study population was nonimmune to at least 1 of the 3 diseases. This proportion varied by age, sex, and region of origin. In multivariate analysis and after adjustment for region of origin, age, and socioeconomic factors, immigrant women had higher odds (odds ratio, 2.1) of being immune to measles (95% CI, 1.2 to 3.8) and an odds ratio of 1.7 of being nonimmune to rubella (CI, 1.2 to 2.6) compared with immigrant men.


CONCLUSIONS
The results from the community-based convenience sample of immigrants may not be generalizable to all immigrant populations.


CONCLUSIONS
Many new immigrants and refugees, particularly women, are susceptible to measles, mumps, or rubella and may benefit from targeted vaccination programs.
Greenaway
Christina
C
Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital, Côte-des-Neiges local community health center, McGill University, and Saint Justine Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ca.greenaway@mcgill.ca
Dongier
Pierre
P
Boivin
Jean-François
JF
Tapiero
Bruce
B
Miller
Mark
M
Schwartzman
Kevin
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009107:Mumps / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012036:Refugees; D012409:Rubella / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral