Epidemiology of mumps in the Netherlands

Abstract

In a Dutch population group neutralizing antibodies against mumps virus were determined by a plaque reduction technique, which proved reproducible, sensitive and specific. The results with sera of about 800 suburban children show that mumps is acquired at an early age with peak acquisition rates between the ages of four and six years. Over 90% have acquired mumps before the age of 14 years. More than 95% of about 1000 adults (18--65 years) have neutralizing antibodies. The relatively constant median titre suggests that antibodies persist during life. During a family study 77 clinical and 18 subclinical cases were observed. In families with index cases the attack rate was 26/37 = 0.71. Eleven children (excluding six babies) escaped infection. The mean attack rate during the epidemic was 0.30. The mean titre of mumps neutralizing antibody is maximal during the first year after the disease but declines during childhood. Mothers exposed to mumps in the family occasionally showed a significant rise in titre. Some seronegative mothers remained seronegative after exposure.

Rubella epidemiology in South East England

“…3. Similar trends have been noted in age-stratified serological surveys for measles (Black, 1959) and mumps (Wagenvoort et al 1980) antibodies. Over the age range, 13-27 years, influenced by the UK rubella vaccination policy started in 1970, there is a statistically significant difference (t-test on loge-transformed data P < 0005) in the mean antibody levels in males and females.…”

“…However, it is important to note that although serum antibodies are highly correlated with immunity they may not necessarily be the major mediators of acquired immunity to viral infection (Roitt, 1984). Cell-mediated factors are thought also to be important.There are recorded instances of seronegative individuals resisting infection or reinfection with mumps virus, for example in the Netherlands (Wagenvoort et al 1980). This may be genetically linked and implies either that low antibody titres (undetectable by current methodology) provide adequate protection against infection, or more likely that cellular immunity is of greater importance in suppressing infections.…”

Current Status of Mumps Virus Infection: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Vaccine

“…Mumps was a serious disease that cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide before the program of mumps vaccination starting [5]. In the pre-vaccine era, mumps was a severe contagious disease with a high morbidity of approximately 40-726 cases per 100,000 population per year [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] ( Table 1). During the pre-vaccine era, mumps was circulating endemically with a periodic spike of two to five years and a peak incidence of infection among children aged five to seven years old in several regions globally [23][24][25][26].…”

The epidemiology of mumps in the UK: a preliminary study of virus transmission, herd immunity and the potential impact of immunization

“…2. Age-related changes in the force of infection derived from serological data collected in the Netherlands (Wagenvoort et al 1980). (a) The average values for A(a) for various age classes.…”