Diphtheria antibody levels in the Italian population
Autor: | VON HUNOLSTEIN, C, Rota, Mc, Alfarone, G, Ricci, Ml, Salmaso, S, THE ITALIAN SEROLOGY WORKING GROUP, Gabutti, Giovanni |
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Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2000 |
Předmět: |
Microbiology (medical)
Adult Male medicine.medical_specialty Adolescent Diphtheria Toxoid Immunization Secondary Physiology Fluorescent Antibody Technique Booster dose Serology NO Sex Factors Immunity Epidemiology Antibody levels Medicine Humans Child biology business.industry Diphtheria Age Factors Infant General Medicine Middle Aged medicine.disease Diphtheria Antitoxin Infectious Diseases Italy Child Preschool Immunology Humoral immunity biology.protein Female Disease Susceptibility Antitoxin Antibody business |
Popis: | Immunity to diphtheria was assessed in serum samples obtained from 3111 healthy Italian males and females aged 0-84 years. Diphtheria antitoxin was tested using a double-antigen, time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (DA-DELFIA). According to internationally accepted criteria, antitoxin concentrations0.01 IU/ml indicate susceptibility to diphtheria, thoseor = 0.01-0.09 IU/ml provide basic or inadequate protection, and concentrationsor =0.1 IU/ml are protective. By these criteria, 9.9% (95% CI 8.9 to 11.18) of the participants were susceptible to diphtheria, 30.2% (95% CI, 28.6 to 31.9) had basic protection, and 59.9% (95% CI, 58.1 to 61.6) were protected. The prevalence of unprotected individuals showed an age-related increase, up to the 45-49-year-old age group for females and the 50-54-year-old age group for males (34.9% and 31.3% of individuals, respectively). The prevalence of immunity did not significantly differ in relation to sex in any of the age groups. These results indicate that booster shots should be routinely provided to the adult population in order to maintain a protective level of diphtheria antibodies. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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