Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella antibodies among international and domestic university students

Dyda, A; Broome, A; Rawlinson, W; Mahimbo, A; Saha, A; Kefalas, B; Seale, H; MacIntyre, R; Zwar, N; Gidding, H; Heywood, A

Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella antibodies among international and domestic university students

Dyda, A Broome, A Rawlinson, W Mahimbo, A

Saha, A Kefalas, B Seale, H MacIntyre, R Zwar, N Gidding, H Heywood, A

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Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Travel Medicine, 2024, 31, (1), pp. taae004
Issue Date:: 2024-04-30

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Dyda, A
dc.contributor.author	Broome, A
dc.contributor.author	Rawlinson, W
dc.contributor.author	Mahimbo, A https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2058-6881
dc.contributor.author	Saha, A
dc.contributor.author	Kefalas, B
dc.contributor.author	Seale, H
dc.contributor.author	MacIntyre, R
dc.contributor.author	Zwar, N
dc.contributor.author	Gidding, H
dc.contributor.author	Heywood, A
dc.date.accessioned	2025-01-15T04:29:12Z
dc.date.available	2024-01-03
dc.date.available	2025-01-15T04:29:12Z
dc.date.issued	2024-04-30
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Travel Medicine, 2024, 31, (1), pp. taae004
dc.identifier.issn	1195-1982
dc.identifier.issn	1708-8305
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/183610
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: Vaccine-preventable infections are generally well controlled in Australia. However, gaps in immunity can lead to outbreaks and are important to identify. Young adults are a highly mobile population and a potential source of imported infections. We aimed to evaluate anti- measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMR&V) IgG seroprevalence and explore factors relating to antibody seropositivity. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among students from a large Australian university to collect demographic, vaccination, infection and travel characteristics. Blood samples were collected to measure MMR&V seroprevalence. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with seropositivity. RESULTS: Among 804 university students, seroprevalence (positive or equivocal) for measles was 82.3% (95% CI 79.6-84.8%), mumps 79.5% (95% CI 76.7-82.3%), rubella 91.5% (95% CI 89.6-93.5%) and varicella 86.2% (95% CI 84.1-88.8%), with 452 (56.2%, 95% CI 52.8-59.6) seropositive to all four viruses. Varicella seropositivity was highest in the older birth cohort (born 1988-1991). Measles seropositivity was higher for international students compared to domestic students. Among international students, mumps seroprevalence was significantly lower than measles and rubella seroprevalence. International travel in the previous 12 months was reported by 63.1% of students, but only 18.2% of travellers reported seeking pre-travel health advice prior to most recent international travel. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study suggests immunity to MMR&V is sub-optimal. We found the university student population to be highly mobile and unlikely to seek pre-travel advice; thus, they are a potential source of infection importation. The implementation of university immunization policies could address the gaps identified and our findings can inform the development of targeted vaccination campaigns.
dc.format	Print
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Oxford University Press
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Travel Medicine
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1093/jtm/taae004
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1103 Clinical Sciences, 1117 Public Health and Health Services, 1506 Tourism
dc.subject.classification	Tropical Medicine
dc.subject.classification	3202 Clinical sciences
dc.subject.classification	4202 Epidemiology
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Mumps
dc.subject.mesh	Chickenpox
dc.subject.mesh	Seroepidemiologic Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Universities
dc.subject.mesh	Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Rubella
dc.subject.mesh	Measles
dc.subject.mesh	Students
dc.subject.mesh	Antibodies, Viral
dc.subject.mesh	Vaccination
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Chickenpox
dc.subject.mesh	Measles
dc.subject.mesh	Mumps
dc.subject.mesh	Rubella
dc.subject.mesh	Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
dc.subject.mesh	Antibodies, Viral
dc.subject.mesh	Vaccination
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Seroepidemiologic Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Students
dc.subject.mesh	Universities
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Mumps
dc.subject.mesh	Chickenpox
dc.subject.mesh	Seroepidemiologic Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Universities
dc.subject.mesh	Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Rubella
dc.subject.mesh	Measles
dc.subject.mesh	Students
dc.subject.mesh	Antibodies, Viral
dc.subject.mesh	Vaccination
dc.title	Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella antibodies among international and domestic university students
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	31
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
utslib.for	1506 Tourism
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/School of Public Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2025-01-15T04:29:10Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Accepted
pubs.volume	31
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Vaccine-preventable infections are generally well controlled in Australia. However, gaps in immunity can lead to outbreaks and are important to identify. Young adults are a highly mobile population and a potential source of imported infections. We aimed to evaluate anti- measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMR&V) IgG seroprevalence and explore factors relating to antibody seropositivity. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among students from a large Australian university to collect demographic, vaccination, infection and travel characteristics. Blood samples were collected to measure MMR&V seroprevalence. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with seropositivity. RESULTS: Among 804 university students, seroprevalence (positive or equivocal) for measles was 82.3% (95% CI 79.6-84.8%), mumps 79.5% (95% CI 76.7-82.3%), rubella 91.5% (95% CI 89.6-93.5%) and varicella 86.2% (95% CI 84.1-88.8%), with 452 (56.2%, 95% CI 52.8-59.6) seropositive to all four viruses. Varicella seropositivity was highest in the older birth cohort (born 1988-1991). Measles seropositivity was higher for international students compared to domestic students. Among international students, mumps seroprevalence was significantly lower than measles and rubella seroprevalence. International travel in the previous 12 months was reported by 63.1% of students, but only 18.2% of travellers reported seeking pre-travel health advice prior to most recent international travel. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study suggests immunity to MMR&V is sub-optimal. We found the university student population to be highly mobile and unlikely to seek pre-travel advice; thus, they are a potential source of infection importation. The implementation of university immunization policies could address the gaps identified and our findings can inform the development of targeted vaccination campaigns.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/183610