Outbreak of measles in medical students and determination of immune status to measles-mumps-rubella viruses

We conducted an investigation after a measles outbreak in medical students to determine the immunity of the medical students, the correlation between history and seropositivity, and measles-mumps-rubella vaccine effectiveness. After a preliminary study done during measles outbreak, a cross-sectional study was planned. Serum samples from 322 medical students were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, vaccinated volunteers, then re-tested vaccinees. Histories of measles, mumps and rubella were taken. Of 322 students, seven students (2.2%) were seronegative to measles, 13 (4.0%) to mumps, and 13 (4.0%) to rubella. Historical information revealed 30.4% of sensitivity in measles and 34.3% in mumps, whereas 5.2% in rubella. Among those seronegative on admission and vaccinated, seroconversion rates were 100% (5/5), 90.9% (10/11), 100% (8/8) in measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, respectively. Of 265 vaccinated students parotitis was detected in one female student, arthralgia was observed in three students (1.1%) and myalgia in two (0.7%), and 240 students reported no side effects. We detected the unreliable historical screening and high seroprevalence of measles, mumps and rubella in prevaccine era for mumps and rubella and, safety of MMR vaccination in medical students in Turkey.