Status of immunity against poliomyelitis in Germany

Neutralizing antibodies against poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 were determined in serum of 4,039 persons of different ages and of 879 persons at the beginning of their training (male recruits at their initial examination; female teaching trainees and student nurses). The sera were supplied by eleven institutions. Compared with similar studies in 1969, 1972 and 1978, the immunity against individual poliovirus types as well as that against the three types in the different age groups has improved. About three quarters of those older than seven years have antibodies against types 1, 2 and 3. The present study, which for the first time used a more sensitive neutralization test, revealed that about 85% of probands had antibodies against all three types. The trivalent immunity of those aged from 0 to six years has improved by 11 percent points since 1978. There was no decrease in immunity among those older than 20 years.