Time dynamics of measles antibodies in hospital staff over a five-year period

The incidence of measles has been significantly increased worldwide over recent years. The measles virus is transmitted by aerosol route and is highly contagious. The healthcare staff infected with measles is at particular risk, since they may contribute to the hospital-acquired spread of infection. At the same time, medical personnel are at risk for contact with measles patients and their biological material. The objective of the present study was to assess the contents dynamics of anti-measles antibodies in healthcare workers over a five-year period. We have evaluated the contents of anti-measles IgG antibodies in blood serum, being assayed by ELISA technique in 272 healthcare workers aged 22 to 62 years at the clinics of Samara State Medical University. Statistical processing was performed with StatTech v. 4.1.2. software. The healthcare workers were divided in two age groups: 22 to 44 years, and 45 to 62 years (average age, 43 years old). The baseline level of specific anti-measles IgG was assessed at the 1 st stage of the study in 2018. Individuals who demonstrated negative and questionable results were subjected to additional immunization. At the second stage, specific antibody levels were re-assessed in 2023. In both age groups, the average IgG concentration increased over the five-year period as a result of the 2018 revaccination (0.49 IU in 2023 vs. 0.20 IU in 2018). Any statistically significant differences between age groups could not be detected in 2018. By 2023, the antibody concentrations were higher among those over 45 years of age. In the group without re-immunization, the antibody values showed a trend for decrease over 5 years. The revaccinated group showed an increase in positive results, and a decreased ratio of negative and questionable results. Despite double injection of the anti-measles vaccine in childhood, the specific immunity does not persist in a subgroup of adult persons. The additional immunization of 2018 was, generally, quite effective. Individual characteristics of the host organism, as well as a new coronavirus infection, may affect development of humoral immunity against measles. A regular serology monitoring is necessary to follow the maintenance of anti-measles humoral immunity, especially for the risk-exposed cohorts, including healthcare workers.

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