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Sero-epidemiology of tetanus antibody among the children in eastern Turkey

T Inandi1, V Ertekin, A Ayyildiz

  • 1Department of Public Health in Atatürk University, School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey. tinandi@atauni.edu.tr

Public Health
|October 31, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Most children in eastern Turkey have inadequate tetanus immunity, with only 10.6% reaching fully protective antibody levels. This highlights gaps in the Expanded Programme on Immunization, suggesting caution with parental immunization history for wound care.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Tetanus remains a significant public health concern, particularly in regions with suboptimal immunization coverage.
  • Assessing population immunity is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of vaccination programs like the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the tetanus immunity status of children aged 0-71 months in eastern Turkey.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) based on antibody levels.
  • To identify factors influencing tetanus antibody levels in children.

Main Methods:

  • A cluster-sampling method was used to select 840 children from three provinces in eastern Turkey.
  • Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was employed to measure tetanus antibody titres in collected blood samples.
  • Data on demographic factors and vaccination history were collected.

Main Results:

  • 80.0% of children had antibody titres above the minimum protective level (0.01 IU/ml).
  • Only 10.6% of children achieved antibody titres above the fully protective level (0.1 IU/ml).
  • Higher antibody levels were observed in children from rural areas, those with literate fathers, and those with more vaccine applications. Parental-reported immunization history did not consistently correlate with measured antibody levels.

Conclusions:

  • A significant proportion of children in eastern Turkey exhibit suboptimal tetanus immunity, indicating potential weaknesses in EPI implementation.
  • Factors such as rural residence, paternal literacy, and number of vaccine doses are associated with higher antibody levels.
  • Relying solely on parental immunization history for wound care management may be unreliable if vaccination programs are not effectively monitored and implemented.

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