Seroimmunity to polioviruses in U.S. Army recruits

Titers of neutralizing antibody to poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 were determined for serum specimens obtained from 268 U.S. Army recruits. Among those tested, 20.9% lacked neutralizing antibody to one or more types of poliovirus, and 1.1% lacked antibody to all three types. An analysis of demographic data showed that age of less than 18 years, schooling for less than 10 years, and residence in the northeastern United States were associated with higher percentages of recruits lacking neutralizing antibodies to polioviruses in serum.