The number of asylum seekers arriving in Germany has increased rapidly since 2014 and cases of vaccine-preventable diseases at reception centres were reported. Asylum seekers 12 years and older arriving in Lower Saxony were serologically screened for antibodies against measles, rubella and varicella between November 2014 and October 2015. We calculated the seroprevalence from the screening data by disease, country of origin and age group and compared them to literature-based herd immunity thresholds in order to identify immunisation gaps. In total, 23,647 specimens were included in our study. Although the vast majority of asylum seekers tested positive for antibodies against measles, rubella and varicella, the seroprevalences were not sufficient to ensure herd immunity. The seroprevalences varied substantially between countries of origin and increased with age. Immunisation of asylum seekers against measles, rubella and varicella is needed and the detailed information on seroprevalences among subgroups of asylum seekers can be used for targeted immunisations at reception centres. © 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Rubella Seroprevalence measles Asylum seekers Immunization Varicella IgG

blood sampling Germany refugee Antibodies, Viral antibody human epidemiology Refugees middle aged sex difference statistics and numerical data controlled study chickenpox Aged geographic distribution screening test immunity nonhuman virus vaccine Lower Saxony asylum seeker Young Adult school child Humans antibody detection Adolescent male female unclassified drug very elderly immunology Article disease prevalence major clinical study adult seroepidemiology rubella antibody immune response outcome assessment age distribution rubella vaccination seroprevalence Seroepidemiologic Studies immunization measles measles antibody varicella antibody virus antibody Child