Vaccine-preventable disease in healthcare workers in Sicily (Italy): seroprevalence against measles

Aim: Measles is one of the most infectious communicable diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the immunity to measles of healthcare workers (HCWs) operating in three hospitals of Catania. Methods: A total of 549 HCWs underwent measles screening. A 5 ml blood sample was taken from each worker to measure IgG antibody levels. Results: Overall seroprotection was 86%. Unvaccinated HCWs agreed to undergo the vaccination offered by the hospital. Furthermore, it was found that younger workers are less seroprotected than older ones. Conclusion: Model legislation may be helpful to countries wishing to implement immunization requirements in healthcare settings in order to virtually eliminate the risk of acquiring and spreading measles in healthcare settings.