Antimeasles antibodies in preterm infants during early infancy in Turkey

Abstract Aim: To measure maternally derived measles antibodies in sera of premature infants at birth and seropositivity rates in early infancy in a rural area of central Turkey. Methods: 65 premature and 24 full-term infants born in Erciyes University Hospital and their mothers were recruited to a longitudinal, prospective study. The infants were divided into three groups by gestational age: group A, 37 weeks. For specific analyses, the groups were subdivided into groups A1, B1 and C1 (infants of naturally immunised mothers) and A2, B2 and C2 (infants of vaccinated mothers). Blood samples were obtained from mothers and infants after delivery. The infants were re-evaluated at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. Results: Of 25 mothers, 20.3% were seronegative for measles antibodies. Twenty of the mothers had not been vaccinated. The percentages of seronegative infants at birth were 24.2% (n=8), 12.5% (n=4) and 0% (n=0) in groups A, B and C, respectively. No infants were sero...