Self-reported histories of disease and vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella in health care personnel in Japan.
Health care personnel are required to be immune against vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of self-reported histories of disease and vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in order to determine the immune status of health care personnel. A self-reported questionnaire of history of previous disease and vaccination against these diseases was administered to a total of 910 health care personnel in Shimane university hospital in Japan, whose results were compared with serological evidences. There were numerous subjects who did not remember a history of disease (greater than 33% each) and of vaccination (greater than 58% each). Self-reported history of disease and vaccination had high positive predictive value against either disease for testing positive for antiviral antibodies. However, a considerable number of false-negative subjects could be found; 88.9% of subjects for measles, 89.3% for mumps, 62.2% for rubella and 96.3% for varicella in the population who had neither a self-reported history of disease nor a vaccination against each disease. In addition, regardless of the disease in question, a negative predictive value in self-reported history of disease and vaccination was remarkably low. These results suggest that self-reported history of disease and vaccination was not predictive to determine the accurate immune status of health care personnel against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. A seroprevalence survey, followed by an adequate immunization program for susceptible subjects, is crucial to prevent and control infection in hospital settings.
Department of Medical Education and Research, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan; Infection Control Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan. Electronic address: kumakura@med.shimane-u.ac.jp.
Shunichi
S
Kumakura
Third Division of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan.
Keiichi
K
Onoda
Infection Control Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan; Center for Education on Hospital Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan.
Masahiro
M
Hirose
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017778:Vaccines, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; D017778:Vaccines, Combined; C050102:measles, mumps, rubella, varicella vaccine
Health care personnel; Measles; Mumps; Rubella; Self-reported history; Varicella