Susceptibility of nursery teachers to measles, rubella, varicella and mumps in Japan

Abstract

Background: A guideline published in 2018 by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare stipulated confirmation of the vaccine history of nursery staff members.

Object: This study was conducted to elucidate nursery teachers' vaccine and infection histories for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella through survey responses.

Method: After sending questionnaires through the mail to 5000 nursery teachers in November 2022, we received responses through December 2022. We measured the proportion of susceptibility in three ways. Additionally, we compared the proportions of susceptibility by disease by age class.

Results: After receiving 1620 responses in all, the data of 1229 respondents under 50 years old were analyzed. Under the broad definition by which "no answer" was also regarded as unvaccinated or uinfected as well as "unknown," the proportions of susceptibility for measles, rubella, and varicella were higher: 22-23%. For mumps, the proportion was 42%. For varicella, they were 31% for respondents in their 30 s, and 14% for respondents in their 40 s. For mumps, the respective values were 58% and 26%.

Discussion: Respondents assessed for this study were less susceptible and unknown in comparison with earlier studies investigating health care workers, school teachers, university students, and pregnant women.

Conclusion: The survey revealed that measles and rubella susceptibility was higher among respondents in their 30 s. However, it was higher for varicella and mumps among respondents in their 20 s.

Keywords: Infection history; Measles; Nursery school teachers; Rubella; Vaccine history.