IS THE FRENCH ADULT-POPULATION PROTECTED FROM DIPHTHERIA IN 1995 - RESULTS OF A SEROLOGICAL MULTICENTER SURVEY

We realized a multicentrique survey to establish the seroprevalence of antidiphtheria antibodies among the french adult population. This stu dy included 1004 persons of 3 different centres, hospitalized in an em ergency service (more 15 years old persons, born in France). The serol ogical method used is an ELISA method. The antibodies levels are distr ibuted into 3 classes : failure of protection (> 0,01 IU/ml), relative degree of protection (< 0,1 - greater than or equal to 0,01 IU/ml) an d protective level (greater than or equal to 0,1 IU/ml). The results s how a significant difference (p < 0,001) between the age classes : 73, 5 % of the people of less 40 years old have a protective level, 46 % f or the people of 40 to 65 years old and only 33 % of the people of mor e 65 years old. The diminution of the protection with the age of the p opulation show a failure of the serological protection of the adult po pulation. Women have a lower prevalance of immunity than men among the adult population. The recrudescence of diphtheria in East European co untries, since 1990, must incite us to intensify the revaccination pro gram of the adult population (for example with a dose of TD vaccine ev ery tenth years).