Measles and Rubella Seroprevalence in Mother-Infant Pairs in Rural Nepal and the United States: Pre- and Post-Elimination Populations

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2018 Nov;99(5):1342-1345. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0836.

Abstract

We sought to compare seroprevalence of protective measles and rubella-specific antibody in mother-infant pairs across two populations: a pre-disease elimination Nepal population with recently introduced rubella vaccine and post-disease elimination U.S. population. Qualitative measles and rubella immunoglobulin G was assessed in maternal serum and cord blood from 258 pairs in Nepal, 2012-2013 and 49 pairs in Seattle, WA, 2014-2015. High rates of protective antibody were observed in both populations. Two hundred and forty-four (95%) pregnant women in Nepal had protective measles antibody versus 44 (92%) in Seattle (P = 0.42). Ninety-six percent of infants in Nepal (N = 246) and Seattle (N = 43) had protective measles antibody (P = 0.75). Ninety-four percentage of pregnant women in Nepal (N = 242) and Seattle (N = 45) had protective rubella antibody (P = 0.23). Two hundred and thirty-eight (93%) infants in Nepal had protective rubella antibody versus 44 (98%) in Seattle (P = 0.12). Continued surveillance will be necessary to ensure protective immunity, inform progress toward disease elimination in Nepal and avoid reemergence in the United States.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Disease Eradication / methods*
  • Disease Eradication / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Fetal Blood / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood*
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Measles / epidemiology*
  • Measles / immunology
  • Mothers*
  • Nepal / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Rubella / epidemiology*
  • Rubella / immunology
  • Rural Population
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G