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. 2025 Feb 27;13(3):249.
doi: 10.3390/vaccines13030249.

Collective Immunity to the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Viruses in the Kyrgyz Population

Anna Yurievna Popova  1 , Viacheslav Sergeevich Smirnov  2 , Svetlana Alexandrovna Egorova  2 , Zuridin Sharipovich Nurmatov  3 , Angelika Marsovna Milichkina  2 , Irina Victorovna Drozd  2 , Gulzada Saparbekovna Dadanova  4 , Gulnara Dzhumadylovna Zhumagulova  4 , Ekaterina Mikhailovna Danilova  2 , Zharkynbek Orozbekovich Kasymbekov  4 , Victoria Georgievna Drobyshevskaya  2 , Gulsunay Zhumabaevna Sattarova  5 , Oyuna Bayarovna Zhimbaeva  2 , Edward Smith Ramsay  2 , Zhanylay Nuridinovna Nuridinova  5 , Valery Andreevich Ivanov  2 , Altynai Keneshpekovna Urmanbetova  5 , Areg Artemovich Totolian  2
Affiliations

Collective Immunity to the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Viruses in the Kyrgyz Population

Anna Yurievna Popova et al. Vaccines (Basel). .

Abstract

Specific prevention of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) is the main prerequisite for a radical reduction in the incidence of these infections in the Kyrgyz Republic (KR). An increase in the number of seronegative individuals observed in recent years has led to an increase in measles incidence. This is directly related to a decrease in collective immunity, which provides protection for the population only in conditions of a high density of immunized individuals and their uniform distribution in the population. The only way to estimate the number of immunized individuals is by conducting serological surveys of collective immunity.

Aim of the study: The aim was to study the level of collective immunity to the MMR viruses in the KR.

Materials and methods: This study involved a cohort of 6617 residents (volunteers) aged 1 to 70+ years, formed in accordance with the Rospotrebnadzor program "Assessment of collective immunity to vaccine-preventable and other relevant infections" and stratified by age and region of residence. During the study, participants filled out a questionnaire and gave venous blood samples to determine IgG antibodies to MMR viruses (ELISA using certified Russian test systems).

Results: In December 2023, collective immunity ensured epidemiological well-being only with respect to rubella. The volunteer seropositivity was 94.2% (95% CI: 93.7-94.8). The average measles seropositivity was 78.9% (95% CI: 77.9-79.9). It was significantly lower in children aged 1-17 years and significantly higher than the cohort average in individuals aged ≥18 years. The average mumps seropositivity was 76.4% (95% CI: 75.3-77.4), with the minimum level noted among individuals aged 12-29 years (63.8%; 95% CI: 61.4-66.2). The maximum levels of mumps seropositivity were noted among children aged 6-11 years and older adults who had likely experienced mumps (50-70+ years). Seroprevalence distributions by activity correlated with age distributions (all infections).

Conclusions: The system of targeted prophylaxis of vaccine-preventable infections adopted in the KR has contributed to the formation of a high level of rubella collective immunity and, to a lesser extent, measles and mumps immunity. The recent trend towards increases in measles and mumps incidence in the KR requires additional efforts to increase collective immunity to these infections.

Keywords: Kyrgyz Republic; antibodies; cohort study; collective immunity; measles; mumps; population; rubella; seroprevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

We declare we have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Weekly measles incidence dynamics, 2023–2024 (according to National Scientific and Practical Center for the Control of Viral Infections, National Research Institute of Health, Kyrgyz Ministry of Health). The fourth-degree polynomial trend curve is highlighted in red. Its equation, Spearman coefficient (ρ), and significance (p) are shown at the top of the diagram and highlighted in red.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Territorial and age distribution of measles patients among persons under 30 years of age in all administrative territories of the Kyrgyz Republic as of 3 July 2023 (according to National Scientific and Practical Center for the Control of Viral Infections, National Research Institute of Health, Kyrgyz Ministry of Health).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Vaccination status of residents who contracted measles in 2024. Black vertical lines are 95% confidence intervals.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Measles seroprevalence by age. Notes: vertical black lines are confidence intervals; translucent horizontal band is the confidence interval value for the overall cohort; numerical values and significance indicators are given in Table S1.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Anti-measles titer trends by age group. Legend: quantitative Ab levels, IU/mL. Boxes to the right indicate regression equation, coefficient of determination, Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ), and its significance (p). Text colors correspond to trend lines. The numerical values and statistical significance indicators are given in Table S4.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Measles history (infection, vaccination) by age group. Notes: Numerical values are given in the data table below the figure and in Table S5. Legend: SNV—“sick, never vaccinated”, SV—“sick, vaccinated”, NSV—“never sick, vaccinated”, NSNV—“never sick, never vaccinated”.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Anti-measles antibody titers by volunteer history (infection, vaccination). Notes: Y-axis: percentage of volunteers within the indicated titer range. Black vertical lines are 95% confidence intervals. Numerical values and significance indicators are given in Table S6.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Rubella seroprevalence by age. Note: vertical black lines are confidence intervals; translucent horizontal band is the confidence interval value for the overall cohort; Numerical values and significance indicators are given in Table S7.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Anti-rubella titer trends by age group. Legend: quantitative Ab levels, IU/mL. Boxes to the right indicate regression equation, coefficient of determination, Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ), and its significance (p). Text colors correspond to trend lines. The numerical values and statistical significance indicators are given in Table S10.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Rubella history (infection, vaccination) by age group. Note: The numerical values and significance indicators are given in Table S11. Legend: SNV—“sick, never vaccinated”, SV—“sick, vaccinated”, NSV—“never sick, vaccinated”, NSNV—“never sick, never vaccinated”.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Anti-rubella antibody titers by volunteer history (infection, vaccination). Note: The numerical values and significance indicators are given in Table S12.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Mumps seropositivity by age. Note: vertical black lines are confidence intervals; translucent horizontal band is the confidence interval value for the overall cohort; Numerical values and significance indicators are given in Table S13.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Mumps history (infection, vaccination) by age group. Note: Numerical values and significance indicators are given in Table S16. Legend: SNV—“sick, never vaccinated”, SV—“sick, vaccinated”, NSV—“never sick, vaccinated”, NSNV—“never sick, never vaccinated”.
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