Vaccination coverage and immunity levels against vaccine-preventable diseases in male Air Force recruits in Greece.
Vaccine 2019;
38:1181-1185. [PMID:
31761499 DOI:
10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.11.021]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
AIM
Data about susceptibility rates in young adults are scarce. We estimated the complete vaccination rates, timeliness of vaccinations and susceptibility rates among male military recruits in Greece.
METHODS
A standardized form was used to collect data. Immunity against measles, rubella, varicella, hepatitis A and hepatitis B was serologically estimated.
RESULTS
We studied 385 recruits with a mean age of 23.5 years (range: 18.3-29.9 years). Complete vaccination rates were 94.3% for measles, 100% for rubella, 15% for varicella, 73.9% for hepatitis A and 96.5% for hepatitis B. Only 10.8% of participants were fully vaccinated against all five diseases. Timely vaccination was 47.2% for measles, 89.3% for rubella and 48.1% for hepatitis B. Recruits >23 years had a 1.5-fold increased probability for incomplete vaccinations compared to younger recruits. Laboratory-confirmed immunity rates were 80% against measles, 85.7% against rubella, 85.2% against varicella, 69.4% against hepatitis A and 77.1% against hepatitis B. It is estimated that approximately 388,696 persons aged 18-30 years are susceptible to measles, 277,640 persons to rubella, 287,736 persons to varicella, 595,664 persons to hepatitis A and 444,224 persons to hepatitis B in Greece.
CONCLUSION
Our study showed that young adults have significant immunity gaps against measles, rubella, varicella, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Complete vaccination rates were suboptimal against hepatitis A and varicella. Strategies to access young adults and increase immunity rates through catch-up vaccination services should be investigated. A third dose of MMR vaccine should be considered for young adolescents in Greece.
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