In this study, the seroprevalences of measles, mumps, and rubella antibodies in infants were determined to assess the immunization strategy and control measures for these infectious diseases. Serum samples from infants < 1 year of age and their mothers were collected to measure the concentrations of specific IgG antibodies to measles, mumps, and rubella by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. For selected infant serum samples, measles-specific neutralizing antibody levels were determined by using the plaque reduction neutralization test. The sera from 295 of infants and 80 of their mothers were analyzed. No infants had past measles, mumps, or rubella infections. Almost all infants < 2 months of age were positive for measles and rubella IgG antibodies. However, seroprevalence of measles and rubella antibodies decreased with age, and measles IgG and rubella IgG were barely detectable after 4 months of age. The seroprevalence of mumps antibodies was lower than that of measles and rubella antibodies in infants ≤ 4 months old, and mumps IgG was barely detectable after 2 months of age. The seropositivity of measles-specific neutralizing antibody was 63.6% in infants aged 2 months and undetectable in infants ≥ 6 months old. Because the seropositivity rates of measles, mumps, and rubella antibodies were low after the first few months of age in Korean infants, active immunization with vaccines is strongly recommended for infants aged 6-11 months when measles is epidemic. Timely administration of the first dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine at 12 months of age should be encouraged in non-epidemic situations.
Keywords: Infant; Korea; Measles; Mumps; Rubella; Seroprevalence.