title: Are we hitting immunity targets? The 2006 age-specific seroprevalence of measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria and tetanus in Belgium.
abstract: Susceptibility to vaccine-preventable diseases in Belgium in 2006 was estimated from a serum survey. Immunoglobulins against measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and diphtheria at all available ages (1-65 years), and against tetanus in >40-year-olds, were measured by ELISA. Age-standardized overall seronegativity for MMR was low (3·9%, 8·0%, 10·4%, respectively). However, the World Health Organization's targets for measles elimination were not met in 5- to 24-year-olds and about 1 in 7 women at childbearing age (15-39 years) were seronegative for rubella. In adults >40 years, tetanus immunity (87·2%, >0·16 IU/ml) largely exceeded diphtheria immunity (20-45%, >0·1 IU/ml). Despite free universal vaccination against MMR for more than 20 years and against diphtheria and tetanus for almost 60 years, our study revealed specific age groups remaining at risk for infection with these pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. heidi.theeten@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Theeten
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hutse
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hens
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoppenbrouwers
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beutels
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vranckx
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Damme
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D022422:Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009107:Mumps / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012409:Rubella / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013742:Tetanus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D022422:Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine