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. 1989 Feb;102(1):147–160. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800029770

Seroepidemiological study of the transmission of the mumps virus in St. Lucia, West Indies.

M J Cox 1, R M Anderson 1, D A Bundy 1, D J Nokes 1, J M Didier 1, I Simmons 1, J St Catherine 1
PMCID: PMC2249308  PMID: 2917614

Abstract

A seroepidemiological study of the prevalence of mumps virus specific antibodies reveals a pattern of endemic persistence on the island of St Lucia in the West Indies. In the unvaccinated population the proportion seropositive rose rapidly in the child age classes to attain a stable plateau close to unity in value in the teenage and adult age groups. The average age at infection was estimated to be between 3 and 4 years of age and the average duration of detectable levels of maternally derived antibodies was approximately 3 months. Analyses based on mathematical models of the transmission dynamics of the virus suggest that in excess of 75% of each cohort of 1- to 2-year-old children must be effectively immunized to eliminate mumps virus transmission. A mumps radial haemolysis test, developed for quantitative measurements of antibody, is discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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