Abstract
Introduction: Little is known about the sero-prevalence of anti-VZV antibodies among adolescents in the Kandy district of Sri Lanka although adulthood VZV infections are very common in this part of the country. Design: Socio-demographic data and blood samples were collected between November 2004 and April 2005 from a total of 271, 12- to 19-year-old, school students from urban, rural and estate communities. Sera were tested for anti-VZV IgG antibodies using a stranded enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Sero-prevalence of anti-VZV antibodies among the adolescents was found to be 34%. Number of siblings (adolescents without siblings were non-immune; of those with 2 siblings - 27% were immune; of those with more than 2 siblings - 39% were immune) and areas of residence (urban, estate and rural) were significantly associated with the presence of anti-VZV IgG antibodies ( p ). Conclusions: Sero-prevalence of anti-VZV IgG antibodies was low among adolescents in the Kandy district. Adolescents who lived in the urban areas had a significantly higher rate of anti-VZV IgG antibodies than those who lived in rural areas ( p ). Adolescents who grow up without siblings are at risk of evading the childhood VZV infection and form a potential target group for adulthood chicken pox. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v4i1.5852
Highlights
Little is known about the sero-prevalence of anti-varicella-zoster virus (VZV) antibodies among adolescents in the Kandy district of Sri Lanka adulthood VZV infections are very common in this part of the country
This study might have underestimated the true susceptibility rate to VZV in their study population as it only tested those with a negative history of chickenpox for anti-VZV IgG antibodies. The objective of this project was to study the risk factors for adulthood chickenpox in a vaccine-naive adolescent population of school children from urban, rural and estate communities of the Kandy district of Sri Lanka and determine the sero-prevalence of anti-VZV IgG antibodies in this population
The current study showed a low sero-prevalence of anti-VZV IgG antibodies among the adolescent population of the Kandy district of Sri Lanka
Summary
Little is known about the sero-prevalence of anti-VZV antibodies among adolescents in the Kandy district of Sri Lanka adulthood VZV infections are very common in this part of the country. Primary infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella (chickenpox) which is a common childhood exanthematous illness associated with fever and a Chickenpox often presents clinically as a highly contagious benign viral infection of children throughout the world.[1] In adults, the clinical severity of the disease is high and in the immuno-compromised and elderly it can be fatal, with mortality rates reaching up to 15%.3. Complications of chickenpox during the first two trimesters of pregnancy may result in chickenpox embryopathy, congenital varicella syndrome and premature labour.[2] In the last trimester it may result in neonatal varicella, which if severe may reach a mortality rate of 30%.4. Re-infections are possible in immunocompromised patients.[1,2,3]
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