Seroprevalence of ıgg antibodies against mumps in bulgarian children under 18 years of age

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of IgG antibodies against mumps in a representative stratified sample of children under 18 years of age in Pleven district, Bulgaria. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, sero-epidemiologic survey of 132 children aged under 18 years was conducted in Pleven district. They were distributed into two age groups: from 0 to 11 years old (n=80) and from 12 to 18 years old (n=52). An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was performed for indirect evidence of specific IgG antibodies in the serum. Results: The results showed that 41% of the investigated children were negative in terms of mumps IgG antibodies, 11% had borderline values and the remaining, approximately 48%, were positive. In the group of children aged 0 to 11 years who had received one dose of the mumps vaccine, 50% were negative for mumps IgG antibodies. In the second group of children aged 12 to 18 years who had received two vaccine doses, the percentage of partici- pants negative for mumps IgG antibodies decreased significantly. Conclusion: Our observations emphasise the need to conduct expanded sero-epidemiological investigations of the populations most affected by mumps and to immunise susceptible individuals.