Research Articles
Risk factors for acquiring varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection, and sero-prevalence of anti-VZV immunoglobulin G antibodies in adolescents from a tropical population
Authors:
F Noordeen ,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, LK
About F
Senior Lecturer
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
R Dissanayake,
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Peradeniya, LK
IKB Weerasekara,
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Peradeniya, LK
About IKB
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
PVR Kumarasiri,
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Peradeniya, LK
About PVR
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
MH Wijedasa
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Peradeniya, LK
About MH
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Abstract
Introduction: Little is known about the sero-prevalence of anti-VZV antibodies among adolescents in the Kandy district of Sri Lanka although adulthood VZV infections are very common in this part of the country.
Design: Socio-demographic data and blood samples were collected between November 2004 and April 2005 from a total of 271, 12- to 19-year-old, school students from urban, rural and estate communities. Sera were tested for anti-VZV IgG antibodies using a stranded enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Sero-prevalence of anti-VZV antibodies among the adolescents was found to be 34%. Number of siblings (adolescents without siblings were non-immune; of those with 2 siblings - 27% were immune; of those with more than 2 siblings - 39% were immune) and areas of residence (urban, estate and rural) were significantly associated with the presence of anti-VZV IgG antibodies (p<0.001).
Conclusions: Sero-prevalence of anti-VZV IgG antibodies was low among adolescents in the Kandy district. Adolescents who lived in the urban areas had a significantly higher rate of anti-VZV IgG antibodies than those who lived in rural areas (p<0.001). Adolescents who grow up without siblings are at risk of evading the childhood VZV infection and form a potential target group for adulthood chicken pox.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v4i1.5852
How to Cite:
Noordeen, F., Dissanayake, R., Weerasekara, I., Kumarasiri, P. and Wijedasa, M., 2014. Risk factors for acquiring varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection, and sero-prevalence of anti-VZV immunoglobulin G antibodies in adolescents from a tropical population. Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases, 4(1), pp.30–37. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v4i1.5852
Published on
25 Feb 2014.
Peer Reviewed
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