Tetanus Immunity in the Elderly in the Czech Republic

Czech version

Authors: I. Matoušková ¹; L. Máchová ¹; L. Čížek ¹; G. Janoutová ¹; J. Hošková ²; V. Janout ¹
Authors‘ workplace: Ústav preventivního lékařství LF UP Olomouc ¹; Krajská hygienická stanice Zlín, Územní pracoviště Vsetín ²
Published in: Epidemiol. Mikrobiol. Imunol. 56, 2007, č. 1, s. 10-13

Overview

The study objective was to test immunity against tetanus in the elderly in the Czech Republic.Within serological surveys and in old people’s homes, 776 persons aged 60 years or more were tested for antibodies against tetanus by an ELISA method. As many as 91 % of these persons had medium to high titers of antibodies against tetanus. Low but presumably still protective titers of antibodies against tetanus were detected in 9 % of the population tested. We documented good immunity against tetanus among the elderly in the Czech Republic as a result of a rich immunization history in this country as compared with some other countries in the world. The sporadic incidence of tetanus cases in the Czech Republic over the last 15 years indirectly indicates the efficacy of the immunization strategy used.

Key words:
tetanus – immunity – ELISA – the elderly.

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Article was published in

Epidemiology, Microbiology, Immunology

2007 Issue 1