title: Are healthcare workers immune to rubella?
abstract: Healthcare workers (HCW) have high exposure to infectious diseases, some of which, such as rubella, are vaccine-preventable. The aim of this study was to determine the immunity of HCW against rubella. We performed a seroprevalence study using a self-administered survey and obtained blood samples to determine rubella Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels in HCW during preventive examinations by five Primary Care Basic Prevention Units and six tertiary hospitals in Catalonia. Informed consent was obtained. IgG was determined using an antibody capture microparticle direct chemiluminometric technique. The odss ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Logistic regression was made to calculate adjusted OR. Of 642 HCW who participated (29.9% physician, 38.8% nurses, 13.3% other health workers and 18% non-health workers), 46.6% were primary care workers and 53.4% hospital workers. Of total, 97.2% had rubella antibodies. HCW aged 30-44 years had a higher prevalence of antibodies (98.4%) compared with HCW aged<30 years (adjusted OR 3.92; 95% CI 1.04-14.85). The prevalence was higher in nurses than in other HCW (adjusted OR: 5.57, 95% CI 1.21-25.59). Antibody prevalence did not differ between females and males (97.4% vs. 97.1%, P 0.89), type of center (97.7% vs. 96.8%, P 0.51) or according to history of vaccination (97.3% vs. 96.8%, P 0.82). Seroprevalence of rubella antibodies is high in HCW, but workers aged<30 years have a higher susceptibility (5.5%). Vaccination should be reinforced in HCW in this age group, due to the risk of nosocomial transmission and congenital rubella.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency; Generalitat of Catalonia; Catalonia, Spain; Department of Public Health; University of Barcelona; Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud pública (CIBERESP); Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borràs
authors.affiliation: Hospital Vall d' Hebrón; Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campins
authors.affiliation: Hospital Germans Trías; Badalona; Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esteve
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency; Generalitat of Catalonia; Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Urbiztondo
authors.affiliation: CIBER Epidemiología y Salud pública (CIBERESP); Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Broner
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínic; Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bayas
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínic; Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Barcelona; Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud pública (CIBERESP); Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Domínguez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001769:Blood / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012409:Rubella / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: MMR vaccination; healthcare workers; nosocomial transmission; rubella; seroprevalence