Measles susceptibility and immunization: Experiences in a forensic psychiatric hospital

• Published in: American journal of infection control Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 127 - 130
• Main Authors: Bui, Hong Dang, Dawson, April C., Hattis, Ronald P., Overby, Sarah F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 01.06.1993
• Subjects: Antibodies, Viral - immunology; California; Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control; Disease Susceptibility; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Hospitals, Psychiatric; Humans; Male; Measles - epidemiology; Measles - immunology; Measles Vaccine; Measles virus - immunology; Prisoners; Vaccination; California
• ISSN: 0196-6553; 1527-3296
• DOI: 10.1016/0196-6553(93)90003-M

Background: In response to a measles outbreak in the community, a measles immunization program was developed at our hospital for forensic psychiatric patients. Methods: Measles antibody screening of all employees and patients by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was followed by vaccination of susceptible persons. Results: Serum samples from 813 employees and 868 patients during a 6-month period were analyzed. The susceptibility rate was 16.15% for employees and 13.60% for patients born in or after 1957. It was 4.67% for employees and 5.40% for patients born before 1957. The overall rate was 7.38%. for employees and 8.53% for patients. A rate of 5% is known to be sufficient for transmission in institutions. Vaccine was given to 84.51% of susceptible patients. Vaccine failure occurred in 8.33%. Residual susceptibility rate was 1.84%. Conclusions: Cost analysis showed that screening of all individuals and immunization of susceptible persons was the most cost-effective method for measles control in our institutional setting.