Incomplete or interrupted vaccination schedules put migrant communities at higher risk for measles, which remains a serious public health concern. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the pooled seroprevalence of measles antibodies among migrant groups globally and offer data to guide public health initiatives. Our literature search included PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases, covering publications from 1990 to 2023, and was systematically refined using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Only observational studies documenting measles antibody seroprevalence among defined migrant groups were included to ensure relevance and quality in addressing the study's objective. Meta-analytical techniques such as random-effects models were employed to assess pooled seroprevalence. The meta-analysis comprised 36 studies with 42,972 participants in total. Among migrant communities, the overall pooled seroprevalence of measles antibodies was 83% (95%CI: 80%-87%). Studies showed significant heterogeneity (I2 = 98%, p < 0.01). According to meta-regression analysis, measles seroprevalence has been gradually increasing in more recent research, and time (year) was a significant predictor of seroprevalence variability (p < 0.05). Measles seroprevalence in migratory communities is still below the threshold for herd immunity, especially in susceptible populations like children and refugees. To close these immunity gaps and stop future outbreaks in host nations, focused public health interventions such as catch-up vaccination programs are desperately needed.
Keywords: herd immunity; measles; migrant population; refugee; seroprevalence; vaccination.
Copyright © 2024, Pradhan et al.