Immunity to diphtheria of African guest workers and students
Müller, J.G.; Palmai, C.; Wildführ, W.
Gesundheitswesen 56(11): 602-605
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0941-3790 PMID: 7819672 Document Number: 424106
This study investigated the immuno-protective diphtheria antitoxin titres of 38 guest workers from Mozambique and 44 students from Cameroon 18 to 35 years of age. Two methods were used to analyse the sera: the cell culture method and the indirect haemagglutination test. The results of both methods were comparable. Approximately 69% of the guest workers from Mozambique showed protective diphtheria antitoxin levels (> or = 0.1 IE/ml), 24% had a boosterrequiring basic immunity (> or = 0.01-0.09 IE/ml), whereas 7% showed no protective diphtheria antitoxin levels. This compared with 46, 35 and 19% respectively among the students from Cameroon.