Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T01:30:23.888Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Seroprevalence and force of infection of varicella-zoster virus in Luxembourg

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 November 2004

J. MOSSONG ,
L. PUTZ  and
F. SCHNEIDER
J. MOSSONG
Affiliation:
Laboratoire National de Santé, PO Box 1102, L-1011 Luxembourg Centre de Recherche Public – Santé, 18 rue Dicks, L-1417 Luxembourg
L. PUTZ
Affiliation:
Laboratoire National de Santé, PO Box 1102, L-1011 Luxembourg Centre de Recherche Public – Santé, 18 rue Dicks, L-1417 Luxembourg
F. SCHNEIDER
Affiliation:
Laboratoire National de Santé, PO Box 1102, L-1011 Luxembourg
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A serological prevalence survey was carried out in Luxembourg during 2000–2001 to determine the antibody status of the Luxembourg population against vaccine-preventable infections including varicella-zoster virus (VZV). ELISA tests performed on 2679 sera indicated that 96 (3·6%) of the study population were seronegative. Age-specific seroprevalence rose rapidly from approximately 70% at age 4 years to 90% at age 6 years to 95% at age 12 years. Significant heterogeneity of seroprevalence was observed between the six different primary schools. For age groups 0–5, 6–11 and 12+ years, we estimated an annual force of infection of 0·361 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0·31–0·415)], 0·204 (95% CI 0·12–0·29) and 0·05 (95% CI 0·024–0·082) respectively. Our results indicate that transmission of VZV is highest in children below the age of 6 years and that much lower levels of VZV transmission occur in secondary schools and throughout adulthood.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 132 , Issue 6 , December 2004 , pp. 1121 - 1127
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press