title: Comparative analysis of a complement fixation assay and enzyme immunoassay to determine the seroprevalence of measles and varicella in a survey of healthcare workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Seroprevalence surveys of healthcare workers for vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles and varicella, are essential for disease prevention and infection control programmes. The purpose of this study was to compare the complement fixation (CF) assay and an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to determine the prevalence of immunoglobulin G antibodies directed against measles and varicella viruses in healthcare workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antimeasles and antivaricella antibody titres were measured simultaneously in serum samples from healthcare workers employed at a Japanese university hospital, using the CF assay and an EIA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum samples were obtained from 898 healthcare workers. Seropositivity rates determined using the CF assay and EIA were 67.8% versus 94.0%, respectively, for measles, and 83.2% versus 97.6% for varicella. Compared with EIA, a nine- and 22-fold higher number of seronegative subjects was identified by the CF assay for measles and varicella, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences between the CF assay and EIA in detecting seronegative or seropositive healthcare workers for measles and varicella suggest that undertaking a seroprevalence survey using an EIA, rather than a CF assay, would more accurately determine susceptibility to vaccine-preventable diseases, in healthcare settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumakura
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohe
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Onoda
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G