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The risk of measles, mumps, and varicella among young adults: a serosurvey of US Navy and Marine Corps recruits.

J P Struewing, K C Hyams, J E Tueller and G C Gray

Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit No. 5, San Diego, Calif.

OBJECTIVES. To assess the risk of epidemic transmission and to guide immunization policy, the seroprevalence of antibody to measles, mumps, and varicella was determined in a group of young adults. METHODS. A cross-sectional study of 1533 US Navy and Marine Corps recruits was conducted in June 1989. Antibody status was determined with commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS. Direct sex and race adjustment to the 15- to 29-year-old US population resulted in seronegativity rates of 17.8% for measles, 12.3% for mumps, and 6.7% for varicella. Measles and mumps seronegativity rates were higher among Whites whereas varicella seronegativity was higher among non-Whites. Recruits enlisting from outside the 50 US states, especially those from island territories, were more likely to lack varicella antibody. The sensitivity of a positive history of vaccination or disease in predicting antibody status was less than 90% for all diseases. CONCLUSIONS. These results suggest a continued potential for epidemics, especially of measles, and the need for mandatory immunization policies. Immigrants to the United States, especially those from island territories, may be a high-risk group that could benefit from varicella vaccination.

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