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. 2022 Nov 3;10(11):1859.
doi: 10.3390/vaccines10111859.

Seroprevalence of Measles Antibodies in a Highly MMR-Vaccinated Population

Huy Quang Quach  1 , Inna G Ovsyannikova  1 , Diane E Grill  2 , Nathaniel D Warner  2 , Gregory A Poland  1 , Richard B Kennedy  1
Affiliations

Seroprevalence of Measles Antibodies in a Highly MMR-Vaccinated Population

Huy Quang Quach et al. Vaccines (Basel). .

Abstract

As an extremely contagious pathogen, a high rate of vaccine coverage and the durability of vaccine-induced immunity are key factors to control and eliminate measles. Herein, we assessed the seroprevalence of antibodies specific to measles in a cohort of 1393 adults (20-44 years old). ELISA results showed a nontrivial proportion of 37.6% study subjects being negative for measles immunoglobulin G (IgG). We also found significant influences of sex and age of the study cohort on the IgG level. Our findings suggest that even within a highly vaccinated population, a subset of individuals may still have sub-optimal immunity against measles and potentially be susceptible during any future measles outbreaks.

Keywords: MMR vaccine; measles virus; seroprevalence; serosurveillance; waning immunity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Poland offers consultative advice to Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Global Services LLC, and is the chair of a Safety Evaluation Committee for novel investigational vaccine trials being conducted by Merck Research Laboratories. Poland also offers consultative advice on vaccine development to Merck & Co (Keniworth, NJ, USA)., Medicago (Quebec City, Quebec, Canada), GlaxoSmithKline (Brentford, United Kingdom), Sanofi Pasteur (Lyon, France), Emergent Biosolutions (Gaithersburg, MD, USA), Dynavax (Emeryville, CA), Genentech (South San Francisco, CA, USA), Eli Lilly and Company (Indianapolis, IN, USA), Kentucky Bioprocessing Inc. (Owensboro, KY, USA), Bavarian Nordic (Hellerup, Denmark), AstraZeneca (Cambridge, United Kingdom), Exelixis (Alameda, CA, USA), Regeneron (Tarrytown, NY, USA), Janssen (Beerse, Belgium), Vyriad (Rochester, MN, USA), Moderna (Cambridge, MA, USA), and Genevant Sciences, Inc. (Cambridge, MA, USA). Poland and Ovsyannikova hold patents related to vaccinia and measles peptide vaccines. Drs. Kennedy, Poland, and Ovsyannikova hold a patent related to vaccinia peptide vaccines. Poland, Kennedy, and Ovsyannikova have received grant funding from ICW Ventures for preclinical studies on a peptide-based COVID-19 vaccine. Kennedy has received funding from Merck Research Laboratories to study waning immunity to mumps vaccine. These activities have been reviewed by the Mayo Clinic Conflict of Interest Review Board and are conducted in compliance with Mayo Clinic Conflict of Interest policies. This research has been reviewed by the Mayo Clinic Conflict of Interest Review Board and was conducted in compliance with Mayo Clinic Conflict of Interest policy.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Measles-specific IgG antibodies. (A) Distribution of measles-specific IgG antibodies expressed as the sample index. On the basis of the sample index, 744 (53.4%), 524 (37.6%), 125 (9%) serum samples were identified as positive, negative, and equivocal, respectively (Figure 1A inset). (B) There was no significant difference in the IgG levels as expressed as sample index among subjects with one-dose, two-dose and unknown-dose MMR vaccination. (C) Distribution of the sample index in the one-dose, two-dose, and unknown-dose subcohorts. While the one-dose and unknown-dose subcohorts had similar distribution of the sample index, the two-dose subcohort had more negative serum samples than positive ones.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The influences of demographic variables on measles-specific IgG titer. (A) Females had a significantly higher median sample index than males. (B) Measles-specific IgG level was negatively correlated to the age of the cohort. (C) Overweight individuals (labelled as “Over”) had significantly lower IgG titer than underweight (labelled as “Under”), healthy, and obese individuals, but the difference did not reach statistical significance.
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