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Seroprevalence of varicella antibodies among pregnant women in Lyon-France

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to calculate the seroprevalence of immunity to the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection and to evaluate the positive predictive value (PPV) and the negative predictive value (NPV) of the self-reported history of VZV infection in pregnant women. A cross sectional study was conducted in 18 private medical analysis laboratories. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and past history of varicella or zoster were collected using a questionnaire. Blood samples were obtained to determine the serological levels of past exposure to VZV. Overall, 486 pregnant women were recruited. The seroprevalence of VZV antibodies was 98.8%. Six women were seronegative, of whom four were primiparous. The PPV was high (99.5%) while the NPV was only 10.3%. The PPV is a reliable marker of prior VZV infection. In contrast, a negative history does not predict lack of immunity and should be completed by serological analysis which might be introduced to routine antenatal blood tests.

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Abbreviations

NPV:

Negative predictive value

PPV:

Positive predictive value

VZV:

Varicella-zoster virus

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all members of laboratories who assisted in the collection of the data. In particular, we acknowledge the efforts of Drs. Thierry, Julien, Accominotti, Paret, Soucheleau, Sellem, Trepo, Mazuyer, Hue, Gazzano, Gleize, Accominotti, Martinet, Richard, Chabaud-Sassoulas, Thomé, Zaoui, Marin-laflèche, Orfeuvre, Guiraud, Benzoni, Barrier, and Guillet.

This work was supported by Sanofi Pasteur MSD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Université de Lyon, Lyon, F-69003, France

    M. Saadatian-Elahi, C. Del Signore & P. Vanhems

  2. CNRS, UMR 5558, Biométrie et Biologie évolutive, Lyon, F-69003, France

    M. Saadatian-Elahi, C. Del Signore & P. Vanhems

  3. Hospices civils de Lyon, Département d’Hygiène, Epidémiologie et Prévention, Lyon, F-69003, France

    M. Saadatian-Elahi, C. Del Signore & P. Vanhems

  4. Laboratoire de Virologie, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France

    Y. Mekki & B. Lina

  5. Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Lyon, France

    T. Derrough & E. Caulin

  6. Laboratoire Charcot, Le Point du Jour, Lyon, France

    J. Thierry

  7. Laboratoire d’Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Université Claude Bernard, 8 Avenue Rockefeller, Lyon Cedex 08, 69373, France

    P. Vanhems

Authors
  1. M. Saadatian-Elahi
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  2. Y. Mekki
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  3. C. Del Signore
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  4. B. Lina
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  5. T. Derrough
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  6. E. Caulin
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  7. J. Thierry
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  8. P. Vanhems
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Vanhems.

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Saadatian-Elahi, M., Mekki, Y., Del Signore, C. et al. Seroprevalence of varicella antibodies among pregnant women in Lyon-France. Eur J Epidemiol 22, 405–409 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-007-9136-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-007-9136-z

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