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Measles immunity and immunization status in under-5-year-old children in New South Wales: a population-based study

M J Ferson1, P W Robertson, J W Donovan

  • 1Public Health Unit, South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service, Zetland, New South Wales, Australia. mfers@doh.health.nsw.gov.au

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|September 4, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Only 80% of young children in New South Wales are immune to measles, indicating a need for improved vaccination strategies. This study highlights the importance of accurate measles immunization records for children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology
  • Public Health Surveillance

Background:

  • Measles outbreaks pose a significant public health risk, particularly in urban populations.
  • Assessing true measles immunity in young children is crucial for effective disease control.
  • Documented immunization history may not always reflect actual serological immunity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the measles immunity prevalence in 1-4-year-old children in New South Wales (NSW).
  • To compare documented immunization status with serologically confirmed immunity.
  • To identify gaps in measles protection within this age group.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based seroprevalence survey was conducted in NSW, Australia.
  • Immune status was assessed using two enzyme immunoassays on plasma samples.
  • Data on documented measles immunization were collected via interviews and record verification.

Main Results:

  • Of 347 children with adequate samples, 80.4% demonstrated measles immunity.
  • Parent-reported immunization status had a concordance of 63.9% with available records.
  • Serological immunity was slightly higher in children with documented records (84.4%) versus those without (76.3%), though not statistically significant (P=0.07).

Conclusions:

  • The estimated measles immunity prevalence of 80% in NSW children aged 1-4 years is insufficient to prevent outbreaks.
  • Urgent strategies are needed to increase measles immunity, such as adjusting the vaccination schedule.
  • Mass immunization campaigns targeting preschool-aged children are recommended to bolster population immunity.
Abstract

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