Healthcare Workers' Exposures for Mumps, Measles, Rubella and Varicella Zoster Virus Infections: A Multicenter Survey Study

Abstract

Objectives: In this research article, the authors carried out a multi-center study to evaluate the exposure and vaccination status of selected Turkish health-care workers for measles, rubella, mumps, and varicella zoster. Methods: The authors conducted a survey research by a questionnaire for health-care workers. The participants were questioned about vaccination and exposure of mumps, measles, rubella and varicella zoster virus. Results: A total of 5165 health-care workers; 1665 male (32.2%) and 3500 female (67.8%) participated in the study. The rates of measles, rubella, mumps and varicella history in the participants were found to be 39.2%, 21.8%, 50.8% and 56.9%, respectively. When health-care workers were asked about vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella; 2327 (47.4%) participants could not remember, 1423 (29%) participants stated that they had not been vaccinated and 763 (15.5%) had been vaccinated. Only 55 (1.1%) of the participants stated that they had measles vaccination. In total 2376 (49%) participants stated that they had not been vaccinated against varicella zoster and 451 (9.4%) people did not have vaccination since they already had developed disease and 1913 (39.8%) people did not remember their vaccination status for varicella zoster. Only 68 (1.4%) health-care workers stated that they had been vaccination against varicella zoster. Conclusions: The authors found that only a small group of health-care workers were vaccinated against these diseases and most of them could not remember whether they had been exposed to these viruses.

Determination of measles, rubella, mumps and chickenpox seropositivity of district public hospital healthcare workers

“…In a multicenter study conducted with HCWs in our country, it was reported that only a small group (15.5%) was vaccinated for MMR. In our study, our pre-screening vaccination rate is similar to 12%; however, this rate increased to 34% after screening (26). Although the use of live viral vaccines such as MMR mimics the natural infection that provides life-long protection; Studies have shown that immunity is reduced even in fully vaccinated individuals, especially in measles and mumps (27).…”

“…Some studies suggest that HCWs should be vaccinated without screening because it is not cost-effective (18). Despite this, it has been observed that staff vaccination rates are low in many centers (26). Since our vaccination rate was low, we decided to screen our staff with the decision of the Infection Committee Control, and we saw a significant increase in the rate of vaccination afterwards.…”