Rubella immunity levels in the United States population: has the threshold of viral elimination been reached?
Author(s): Hyde TB, Kruszon-Moran D, McQuillan GM, Cossen C, Forghani B, Reef SE Affiliation(s): National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (proposed), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. thyde@cdc.gov Publication date & source: 2006-11-01, Clin Infect Dis., 43 Suppl 3:S146-50. Publication type: After the 1989-1991 rubella resurgence, rubella vaccination efforts targeted children and women of childbearing age. Utilizing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collected during 1988-1994 and 1999-2004, we assessed whether US levels of rubella seropositivity are consistent with rubella elimination and whether changes are consistent with immunization efforts. Serum samples with rubella antibody levels > or =10 IU tested by rubella immunoglobulin G enzyme immunoassay were considered to be positive. In 1999-2004, the overall age-adjusted rubella seropositivity level was 91.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.5%-92.1%), a significa
