title: Seroprevalence of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella amongphysicians and nurses in Jordan.
abstract: Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella can affect susceptible healthcare workers who might subsequently spread the infection to susceptible patients and workers. Here, we aim to determine the seroprevalence of these infections among physicians and nurses and to compare the history of varicella with the results of varicella antibodies among study participants.
  
  
  
  Two randomly selected groups, one group of physicians and one of nurses, from a university hospital in Jordan were interviewed and their serum IgG antibodies were measured.
  
  
  
  The physicians and nurses group had 252 and 241 participants, respectively. The physicians group had significantly more males and younger participants. The percentage of individuals in the physician and nurse groups with positive antibodies to measles was 75.4% and 75.1%, respectively; mumps, 88.5% and 94.2%; rubella, 89.3% and 87.1%; and varicella, 92.1% and 92.5%. Immunity was similar between the 2 groups except for mumps, where significantly more nurses were immune. The positive and negative predictive values for the history of varicella to predict immunity in all participants were 95% and 13.5%, respectively.
  
  
  
  A small but important proportion of our healthcare workers are still susceptible to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. In addition, the recall history to varicella showed suboptimal ability to predict immunity.
authors: Infection Control Office, Jordan University Hospital, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors: Faris Ghalib
authors: FG
authors: Bakri
authors: Infection Control Office, Jordan University Hospital, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors: Zakaria Mohammad
authors: ZM
authors: Abdelrahim
authors: Infection Control Office, Jordan University Hospital, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors: Alaqahira Samih
authors: AS
authors: Alkalbani
authors: Division of Infectious Diseases, Jordan University Hospital, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors: Ghada Mohammad
authors: GM
authors: Khrais
authors: Department of Microbiology, Jordan University Hospital, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors: Deena Shamroukh
authors: DS
authors: Shamroukh
authors: Faculty of Nursing, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors: Ferial Ahmad
authors: FA
authors: Hayajneh
authors: Department of Microbiology, Jordan University Hospital, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors: Azmi
authors: A
authors: Mahafza
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D002644:Chickenpox; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles; D009107:Mumps; D012409:Rubella; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: Jordan; Measles; healthcare workers; mumps; rubella; varicella