title: Sero-prevalence of mumps antibodies in subpopulations subsequently affected by a large scale mumps epidemic in Israel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the high national vaccination coverage, a large outbreak of mumps occurred in Israel, in 2009-2010, with onset and heavy transmission in ultraorthodox Jewish communities and further country-wide spread. We examined the sero-prevalence of mumps antibodies in the subpopulations subsequently affected by this large mumps outbreak, compared with the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in ultraorthodox Jewish communities, in Jerusalem district (N=251), in Bnei Brak city in Tel Aviv district (N=453), and in the general population (N=1846), using residual sera of 1-20 year old subjects. Mumps IgG antibodies were measured using Enzygnost anti-parotitis virus IgG ELISA kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mumps sero-positivity was significantly lower in Jerusalem: 51.8% (95% CI 51.9-61.0), and Bnei Brak: 56.5% (95% CI 45.6-57.9), than in the general population: 68.1% (95% CI 66.0-70.2). Sero-positivity increased with age, however in Jerusalem it was substantially low (46%) in the age group 10-20 years. This age group comprised a significant portion of mumps patients in the 2009-2010 outbreak.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low immunity levels, combined with overcrowding and social mixing, were the main predisposing factors of the enhanced epidemic transmission of mumps in the ultraorthodox Jewish communities and further country-wide spread.
authors: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors: Khitam
authors: K
authors: Muhsen
authors: Tamy
authors: T
authors: Shohat
authors: Yair
authors: Y
authors: Aboudy
authors: Ella
authors: E
authors: Mendelson
authors: Nurit
authors: N
authors: Algor
authors: Emilia
authors: E
authors: Anis
authors: Dani
authors: D
authors: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009107:Mumps / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G