Seroprevalence of measles, mumps and rubella among young adults, after 20 years of universal 2-dose MMR vaccination in Israel.

Evidence-based vaccination policy is important for the global and local efforts of achieving control over measles. In 2007, the first Israeli birth cohort to be twice vaccinated during childhood with Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine reached adulthood. In parallel, Israel experienced its largest measles outbreak since 1994.

Rubella seroprevalence in the first birth cohort reaching fertility age after 20 years of two dose universal vaccination policy in Israel.

Background: A national program of a 2-dose universal childhood MMR vaccination policy has been in effect in Israel since 1988. As the 1988 birth cohort reached fertility age, questions regarding immunity against rubella were raised.

Objective: To assess the seroprevalence of rubella IgG antibodies among young Israeli adults born after 1987 in comparison to previous birth cohorts, in order to determine evidence based policy for prevention of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome.

Seroepidemiology of Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus among Israeli male young adults.

Purpose: To assess the seroprevalence and seroconversion of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and identify associated socioeconomic and smoking variables among male young adults in Israel, to explore health disparities and aid prevention efforts.

Methods: A population-based seroprevalence study of EBV and CMV IgG antibodies in a systematic sample of Israeli males upon recruitment to mandatory military service during 1994-2004. Associations between socioeconomic and smoking variables and the seroprevalence of EBV/CMV were evaluated, controlling for possible confounders.

Smoking and other correlates of health care services utilization among mandatory military recruits in Israel.

Introduction: Data on utilization of ambulatory care and the impact of lifestyle on health among young adults are scarce. Israeli mandatory military service provides a unique opportunity to investigate these topics. Study objective was to analyze the utilization of health care services (HCS) during the first year of military service, and its associations with health behavior at recruitment, in order to plan health services, health classification, and health promotion activities.

Sub-optimal prevalence of mumps antibodies in a population based study of young adults in Israel after 20 years of two dose universal vaccination policy.

Background: A recent mumps outbreak in Israel despite an ongoing national program of a 2-dose universal childhood vaccination policy since 1988, raised questions regarding population immunity among young adults.

Objective: To assess the seroprevalence of mumps antibodies among young Israeli adults born after 1987 in order to determine evidence based vaccination policy.

Methods: We conducted a seroprevalence study of mumps IgG antibodies among 441 Israeli adults born in 1988-9, based on a representative sample of sera collected upon recruitment to mandatory military service in 2007.

Infection control in field hospitals after a natural disaster: lessons learned after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

After the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti, Project Medishare and the University of Miami organized, built, and staffed a 200-bed field hospital (the University of Miami Hospital in Haiti [UMHH]) on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. We describe the operational challenges of providing a safe environment at the UMHH. Furthermore, we compared how these issues were addressed at this ad hoc hospital with how they were addressed at the field hospital of the Israel Defense Force, a fully deployable hospital with an organization fine-tuned as a result of prior disaster situations, also in Haiti.

[The military role in a flu pandemic].

Pandemic influenza is a major challenge to emergency preparedness agencies and health systems throughout the world. It requires preparation for a situation of widespread morbidity due to flu and its complications which will lead to a huge burden on the health system in the community and in hospitals, and work absenteeism, also among health care personnel. This may require major involvement of the army in both preparedness and measures to be taken to tackle such an event.

Declining population immunity to mumps among Israeli military recruits.

Population-based seroepidemologic data on mumps have not been available in Israel since 1987, and the effects of mass immigration from the Commonwealth of Independent States during the 1990s have not been investigated. We conducted a seroprevalence study of mumps antibodies among 353 Israeli military recruits aged 18-19, based on a representative sample of sera collected in 1999. The overall seroprevalence rate was 83.

Declining seroprevalence of rubella antibodies among young Israeli adults: a 12-year comparison.

Background: In March 2000, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) experienced an outbreak of rubella. No population-based rubella seroepidemiologic data were available for the 13-year period preceding the epidemic.

Methods: We conducted a population-based seroprevalence study of rubella antibodies among 289 IDF recruits drafted in 1999.