HEPATITIS A, HEPATITIS B, MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA AND VARICELLA SEROPREVALENCE IN TURKISH ADOLESCENT NURSING STUDENTS

Objective: Healthcare workers and healthcare school students have increased risk of contracting and transmitting viral diseases such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. This study aimed determining the seroprevalence of these infections in Turkish adolescent nursing students. Material and Method: Specific immunoglobulin G antibodies were studied by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent method in blood samples of students before the hospital internship; the data were collected retrospectively. A questionnaire was applied to 320 students participating in this cross-sectional study with 14 questions, prospectively. Results: Study group was vaccinated against hepatitis B, measles, rubella, and mumps according to the routine vaccination schedule; 14 students had also received hepatitis A vaccine. Among 320 students [(70.9% girls, median 17 years (16-18)], the seroprevalence of hepatitis A, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella and varicella were 17%, 93%, 82.2%, 98.7%, 98.6%, and 93%, respectively. Conclusion: The majority of nursing students were susceptible to hepatitis A virus (83%) and measles virus seropositivity was low (82.2%) in this study. Because of this, we recommend that students be screened for vaccine-preventable viral diseases, especially hepatitis A and measles, at admission to school.