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Impact of the Australian Measles Control Campaign on immunity to measles and rubella

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 November 2001

G. L. GILBERT
Affiliation:
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145 Australia
R. G. ESCOTT
Affiliation:
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145 Australia
H. F. GIDDING
Affiliation:
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
F. M. TURNBULL
Affiliation:
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
T. C. HEATH
Affiliation:
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
P. B. McINTYRE
Affiliation:
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
M. A. BURGESS
Affiliation:
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Abstract

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To evaluate the impact of the 1998 Australian Measles Control Campaign on immunity to measles and rubella, 4400 opportunistically-collected sera, submitted to diagnostic laboratories across Australia from subjects aged 1–49 years, and 3000 from subjects aged 1–18-years, were tested before and after the campaign, respectively. The proportion of individuals aged 1–18 years who were immune to measles rose from 85% before, to 90% after, the campaign (P < 0·001). The greatest increase was in preschool (7%, P < 0·001) and primary school (10%, P < 0·001) children, who were actively targeted by the campaign. Rubella immunity in 1–18 year-olds rose from 83% to 91% (P < 0·001), again with significant increases in preschool (4%, P = 0·002) and primary school (16%, P < 0·001) children. 94% of individuals aged 19–49 years were immune to rubella. These serosurveys confirm other evidence of the effectiveness of the Australian Measles Control Campaign and demonstrate the value of serosurveillance using opportunistically collected sera.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2001 Cambridge University Press