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Determination of measles, mumps, and rubella immunization status using oral fluid samples
T Thieme1, S Piacentini, S Davidson
1Epitope Inc, Beaverton, OR 97005.
Objective:
To determine if oral fluid samples can be used to reliably assess protective blood levels of antibodies to measles, mumps, and rubella.
Design:
A comparison of matched serum and oral fluid samples from asymptomatic subjects in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for measles, mumps, and rubella antibodies. A longitudinal study compared matched serum and oral fluid samples from 11 subjects after measles-mumps-rubella vaccination.
Setting:
Five US clinical sites with samples tested at the reporting laboratory.
Participants:
A total of 157 asymptomatic subjects including 55 subjects younger than 18 years.
Main Outcome Measures And Results:
The presence of antibodies in oral fluid specimens correlated with that in serum with the following levels of sensitivity and specificity: measles, 97% and 100%, respectively; mumps, 94% and 94%, respectively; rubella, 98% and 98%, respectively. Longitudinal studies of subjects after vaccination showed similar seroconversion profiles in oral fluid and serum samples.
Conclusion:
Protective blood levels of antibodies to measles, mumps, and rubella can be assessed by means of an oral fluid sample with good reliability.