Measles Seroprevalence and Related Factors in Women Aged 15-49 Years Old, in Mersin, Turkey

Abstract

Background: If the mother is immune to measles, the infant is protected against measles infection after birth with maternal immunity. Therefore, the mother's immunity to measles is the most important factor in protecting the baby from measles in the first year. This study aimed to investigate measles seroprevalence and related factors in women between Oct 2019 and Jun 2021.
 Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on women aged 15-49 yr in Mersin city. Overall, 400 people were included in the study. NovaLisa Measles IgG ELISA (NovaTec Immunodiagnostica GmbH®) kit was used to measure measles IgG antibodies in serological analyses. The research was conducted between Oct 2019 and Jun 2021. In the analysis of the data; descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, and binary logistic regression analysis were used. The statistical significance level was accepted as P≤0.05.
 Results: Measles seropositivity was detected in 103 (25.7%) of the women. This rate was found 5.5% in the 15-19 yr age group, 20.0% in the 20-24 yr age group, 14.5% in the 25-29 yr age group, 23.0% in the 30-34 yr age group, 42.3% in the 35-39 yr age group, 42.3% in the 40-44 yr age group and 37.5% in the 45-49 yr age group. In the logistic regression analysis, the rate of seropositivity was compared to those in the 15-19 yr age group; it was found to be 4.33 times (P=0.03) at the age of 20-24 yr, 12.71 times (P<0.001) at the age of 40-44 yr, and 10.40 times (P<0.001) at the age of 45-49.
 Conclusion: Three out of every four babies born in our region are not adequately protected against measles.

Pregnant women and measles: we need to be vigilant during outbreaks

“…More recently, In Mersin, Turkey, a smaller cohort study investigated measles seroprevalence in women aged 15–49 years between Oct 2019 and Jun 2021 and found a 25.7% measles antibody seropositivity, suggesting that three out of every four babies born in the region were not adequately immunoprotected against measles. 22 Similarly, following a measles outbreak affecting several European countries including Greece during 2016–2018, two Greek seroprevalence studies found that around 13% of pregnant women were seronegative for measles antibodies. 23 , 24 Elsewhere, an African study conducted in Zambia during 2015–2017 among adult women of childbearing age found that 25% of women were seronegative.…”