title: Immunization status of Iranian military recruits against Bordetella pertussis infection (whooping cough).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Military recruits are susceptible to respiratory pathogens because of increased antibiotic resistance and the lack of an effective vaccine. The goal of the current study was to determine the immunological status of the Bordetella pertussis among conscripts in Iranian military garrisons.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 424 conscripts aged 18 to 21 years who enrolled for military service. They were selected using cluster stratified sampling from all military garrisons in Tehra, Iran. To determine the seroprevalence of infection, blood specimens from all recruits were collected and stored at - 20 °C until assayed. All serum samples were screened for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against Bordetella pertussis toxin (PT) and by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of B. pertussis seropositivity in military recruits was 60.6. Only 55.0% of the recruits had low awareness about the record of vaccination against B. pertussis during childhood. Among 424 studied individuals, 48 recruits (11.3%) had a positive history of whooping cough; prevalence of seropositivity in these recruits was 70.0%. Among these subjects, 61.7% were referred to a physician for treatment and only 39.6% of them were administered anti-pertussis therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that military conscripts in Tehran garrisons were not serologically immune to pertussis and also confirmed the low awareness about vaccination and medical history related to pertussis infection in this high-risk subgroup of the Iranian population. Routine acellular booster vaccination, particularly before 18 years of age, is recommended.
authors: Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. m.izadi@yahoo.com
authors: Morteza
authors: M
authors: Izadi
authors: Shahla
authors: S
authors: Afsharpaiman
authors: Nematollah
authors: N
authors: Jonaidi Jafari
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Ranjbar
authors: Mohammad Mahdi
authors: MM
authors: Gooya
authors: Javad
authors: J
authors: Robat Sarpooshi
authors: Ali Akbar
authors: AA
authors: Esfahani
authors: Hamid
authors: H
authors: Soheylipoor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000992:Antitoxins / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D037342:Pertussis Toxin / Q000276:immunology; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000992:Antitoxins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine; D037342:Pertussis Toxin