Seroprevalence of measles virus antibodies among residents of Kavaratti, Lakshadweep: assessing the immunity gap

Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology

October 23, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2026.101323

Sara Jones, Iype Joseph, Bijesh George, Remya Vasanthi Sasi, Basheer Mariyappada, Sushama Aswathyraj, Archana Mohankumar Ajithakumari, Jayalekshmi Devakikutty, Remya Reveendran, Vishnu Vikraman Mohanakumari, Easwaran Sreekumar, Madhavan Radhakrishna Pillai

Abstract

Despite India's progress toward measles elimination, serological data from isolated communities such as Lakshadweep remain limited. We conducted a community based cross-sectional serosurvey in selected wards of Kavaratti in September 2022. Of 368 samples collected, 299 participants with complete demographic data were analyzed. Measles-specific IgG was measured by commercial ELISA, and age- and sex-related patterns were assessed. IgG levels correlated positively with age, and serological status differed significantly across age groups (p < 0.001). Median levels were higher in females, but not significantly (p = 0.190). Negative or equivocal results clustered among younger participants, supporting surveillance.