Rubella immunization. Persistence of antibody four years after a large-scale field trial

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A long-term comparative field trial of 3 live, attenuated rubella vaccines (HPV-77 DE-5, HPV-77 DK-12 and Cendehill) was initiated in 1969 on the islands of Kauai and Hawaii in the state of Hawaii [USA]. Rubella hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) tests on prevaccination serum specimens from 7931 children in the 2 study areas indicated an overall susceptibility to rubella of nearly 70%. The rates of seroconversion of 5153 seronegative subjects to HPV-77 DE-5, HPV-77 DK-12 and Cendehill vaccine were 97.5%, 99.9% and 99.8%, respectively. Over the subsequent 4-yr follow-up period, during which time natural exposure to rubella was minimal, the percent decline of geometric mean titers did not vary substantially among the 3 vaccine groups and measured about 2-fold for all 3. A total of only 28 vaccinees (0.7%) who seroconverted to 1 of the vaccines in 1969 lost all measurable antibody by 1974. Measurable antibody persisted in more than 98% of all vaccinees over the 4-yr period. Reinfection, thought possibly to be an important factor in maintaining titers, did not occur frequently in the study population and could not be related to outbreaks of disease.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: