Age-specific measles immunity among health care personnel during an epidemic (2018) in Slovakia: Comparison with national immunological survey data

Objective: This study assessed age-specific measles immunity in healthcare professionals who were at risk of occupational infection during the 2018 measles epidemic in Slovakia. The goal was to identify measles-susceptible age groups and to compare findings with the 2018 National Immunological Survey. Methods: Data from 546 healthcare professionals at the Children's Faculty Hospital in Košice, Slovakia, were collected from September to December 2018. Based on epidemiological history, the cohort of healthcare professionals was categorized into measles-immune and measles-susceptible groups. Samples from measles-susceptible healthcare professionals were analyzed for measles IgG antibodies. Results: Of the 546 healthcare professionals at risk of occupational infection, 294 (53.8 %) were classified as measles-susceptible. Seropositivity was detected in 252 (85.7 %) healthcare professionals; 33 (11.2 %) were seronegative, and nine (3.1 %) yielded equivocal results. The lowest age-specific immunity rates within the measles-susceptible cohort were found in the 30-34 years (61.5 %) and 35-39 years (69.1 %) age groups. This corresponds to the lowest seropositivity (68.3 %) observed in the 35-39 age group in the 2018 National Immunological Survey. Conclusion: The low measles immunity observed in specific adult cohorts highlights the need for routine serological screening and targeted re-vaccination of susceptible individuals, particularly among healthcare professionals in high-risk hospital settings.