[The determination of susceptibility to measles, rubella, mumps and chickenpox in students of health-related areas]. / Determinação da susceptibilidade ao sarampo, rubéola, papeira e varicela nos estudantes das áreas ligadas à saúde.

ABSTRACT

We present an epidemiological and serological study in 286 health care students. We found susceptibility for measles in 11.7% individuals (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 8.0-15%), for rubella 6.7% (95% CI 3.8-9.6%) for mumps 12.7% (95% CI 8.0-16.6%) and for varicella 8.5% (95% CI 5.3-11.7%). Compared to a similar study, performed in 1992 in a population of health care workers, we found an increasing susceptibility to these diseases except for mumps, that had decreased. Among those who received one dose of measles vaccine we found 12.1% non immune. We found an high level of immunity (97.1%) for those who received rubella vaccination. We could not draw any conclusions for mumps because only seven had been vaccinated.