Prevalence of antibodies against measles, mumps and rubella in the childhood population in Singapore, 2008–2010

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 141; no. 8; pp. 1721 - 1730
• Main Authors: ANG, L. W., LAI, F. Y., TEY, S. H., CUTTER, J., JAMES, L., GOH, K. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.08.2013
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age; Age Factors; Age groups; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gender; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunoassay; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Infant; Infectious diseases; Laboratories; Male; Measels mumps rubella vaccine; Measles; Measles - immunology; Measles - prevention & control; Measles virus - immunology; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine - administration & dosage; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine - immunology; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Mumps; Mumps - immunology; Mumps - prevention & control; Mumps virus - immunology; Original Papers; Pediatrics; Population; Prevalence; Rubella; Rubella - immunology; Rubella - prevention & control; Rubella virus - immunology; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serology; Singapore; Vaccination; Vaccines; Viral diseases; Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye; Viruses; Asia; South east Asia; Singapore; United States > US; paediatrics; MMR vaccination; prevalence of disease; Infection; Rubella; Prevalence; Antibody; Viral disease; Tropical zone; Measles; Mumps; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268812002130

We undertook a national paediatric seroprevalence survey of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) in Singapore to assess the impact of the national childhood immunization programme against these three diseases after introduction of the trivalent MMR vaccine in 1990. The survey involved 1200 residual sera of Singapore residents aged 1–17 years collected from two hospitals between 2008 and 2010. The overall prevalence of antibodies against measles, mumps and rubella was 83·1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 80·9–85·1], 71·8% (95% CI 69·1–74·2) and 88·5% (95% CI 86·6–90·2), respectively. For all three diseases, the lowest prevalence was in children aged 1 year (47·8–62·3%). The seroprevalence of the vaccinated children declined over time. The national MMR immunization programme is effective in raising the herd immunity of the childhood population, although certain age groups are more susceptible to infection, in particular, those who are not eligible for vaccination at age <15 months.