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Measles and rubella seroimmunity in newly arrived adult immigrants in Sweden

Hagstam, Per LU ; Böttiger, Blenda LU and Winqvist, Niclas LU (2019) In Infectious Diseases 51(2). p.122-130
Abstract

Background: International migrants could be considered as a risk group for being susceptible to vaccine preventable diseases such as measles and rubella. However, data on immunity in different migrant groups are scarce. Apart from asylum seekers and refugees, other immigrant groups might also be at risk. We have examined measles and rubella specific IgG antibodies among newly arrived adult immigrants in Skåne region in southern Sweden. In contrast to children, adult immigrants are not offered catch-up vaccinations after arrival. Methods: Stored serum samples from 989 asylum seekers and 984 pregnant women from the antenatal screening program, who had recently settled in Sweden, were analyzed for specific measles and rubella... (More)

Background: International migrants could be considered as a risk group for being susceptible to vaccine preventable diseases such as measles and rubella. However, data on immunity in different migrant groups are scarce. Apart from asylum seekers and refugees, other immigrant groups might also be at risk. We have examined measles and rubella specific IgG antibodies among newly arrived adult immigrants in Skåne region in southern Sweden. In contrast to children, adult immigrants are not offered catch-up vaccinations after arrival. Methods: Stored serum samples from 989 asylum seekers and 984 pregnant women from the antenatal screening program, who had recently settled in Sweden, were analyzed for specific measles and rubella IgG-antibodies. Sex, age, reason for screening and geographic origin were variables entered into a multivariate regression model. Results: There were considerable differences in seroimmunity to measles with regard to geographic origin (44–97%). Measles seroimmunity gaps were most prominent in immigrants from some European regions such as the Baltic countries, the former Yugoslavia and the Newly Independent States and Russia. Seroprotection for rubella varied less between geographic regions (90–99%). Conclusion: Susceptibility to measles among adult immigrants arriving in Sweden varies considerably depending on their geographic origin. Vaccinations against measles and rubella should be offered to groups of immigrants who might be incompletely immunized.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
IgG antibodies, Immigrants, Measles, Rubella, Sweden, Vaccination
in
Infectious Diseases
volume
51
issue
2
pages
122 - 130
publisher
Informa Healthcare
external identifiers
  • pmid:30676125
  • scopus:85060574973
ISSN
2374-4235
DOI
10.1080/23744235.2018.1524583
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1682595c-0cd3-44d9-87de-8d2c69b7f7d5
date added to LUP
2019-02-08 12:57:12
date last changed
2024-03-19 00:53:26
@article{1682595c-0cd3-44d9-87de-8d2c69b7f7d5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: International migrants could be considered as a risk group for being susceptible to vaccine preventable diseases such as measles and rubella. However, data on immunity in different migrant groups are scarce. Apart from asylum seekers and refugees, other immigrant groups might also be at risk. We have examined measles and rubella specific IgG antibodies among newly arrived adult immigrants in Skåne region in southern Sweden. In contrast to children, adult immigrants are not offered catch-up vaccinations after arrival. Methods: Stored serum samples from 989 asylum seekers and 984 pregnant women from the antenatal screening program, who had recently settled in Sweden, were analyzed for specific measles and rubella IgG-antibodies. Sex, age, reason for screening and geographic origin were variables entered into a multivariate regression model. Results: There were considerable differences in seroimmunity to measles with regard to geographic origin (44–97%). Measles seroimmunity gaps were most prominent in immigrants from some European regions such as the Baltic countries, the former Yugoslavia and the Newly Independent States and Russia. Seroprotection for rubella varied less between geographic regions (90–99%). Conclusion: Susceptibility to measles among adult immigrants arriving in Sweden varies considerably depending on their geographic origin. Vaccinations against measles and rubella should be offered to groups of immigrants who might be incompletely immunized.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hagstam, Per and Böttiger, Blenda and Winqvist, Niclas}},
  issn         = {{2374-4235}},
  keywords     = {{IgG antibodies; Immigrants; Measles; Rubella; Sweden; Vaccination}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{122--130}},
  publisher    = {{Informa Healthcare}},
  series       = {{Infectious Diseases}},
  title        = {{Measles and rubella seroimmunity in newly arrived adult immigrants in Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2018.1524583}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/23744235.2018.1524583}},
  volume       = {{51}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}