Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41591218›Full record

ArticleTropical medicine and infectious disease2025

Finding the Gaps: Integrated Serosurveillance and Spatial Clustering of Vaccine Preventable Diseases in Samoa, 2018-2019.

Selina Ward, Harriet L S Lawford, Benn Sartorius, Helen J Mayfield, Filipina Amosa-Lei Sam, Sarah Louise Sheridan, Robert Thomsen, Satupaitea Viali, Colleen L Lau

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tropical medicine and infectious disease, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Selina WardFaculty of Health, Medicine, and Behavioural Sciences, Center for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-7776-8419
Harriet L S LawfordFaculty of Health, Medicine, and Behavioural Sciences, Center for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-9699-8201
Benn SartoriusFaculty of Health, Medicine, and Behavioural Sciences, Center for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-6761-2325
Helen J MayfieldFaculty of Health, Medicine, and Behavioural Sciences, Center for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-3462-4324
Filipina Amosa-Lei SamSchool of Medicine, National University of Samoa, Lepapaigalagala Campus, Toomatagi, Samoa.ORCID 0000-0002-4314-0615
Sarah Louise SheridanNational Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance-Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8451-3027
Robert ThomsenSamoa Ministry of Health, Moto'otua, Apia, Samoa.
Satupaitea VialiOceania University of Medicine, Moto'otua, Apia, Samoa.ORCID 0000-0002-4829-8403
Colleen L LauFaculty of Health, Medicine, and Behavioural Sciences, Center for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-8288-4169

Funding

Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Fellowship 1193826Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases OPP1053230United Kingdom Aid from the British people OPP1053230
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSeroprevalence of antibodies for vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), due to vaccination or previous infection, can provide a more accurate estimate of immunity compared to vaccination coverage data alone. This study aimed to examine the seroepidemiology and spatial distribution of VPD seroprevalence in Samoa in 2018 and 2019.

methodsDried blood spot (DBS) samples were collected from two nationally representative community-based surveys of participants aged ≥5 years from the Surveillance and Monitoring to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis and Scabies from Samoa (SaMELFS) project. DBSs were tested using multiplex bead assays (MBAs) to detect antibodies against measles, rubella, diphtheria, and tetanus. Seroprevalence was estimated at the national and primary sampling unit (PSU) levels, and cluster analysis was completed using SaTScan.

resultsOverall, 8394 valid MBA results were analysed across 35 PSUs. The highest overall seroprevalence was observed for tetanus (91.0%; 95% CI: 90.2-91.7), followed by diphtheria (83.7%; 95% CI: 82.7-84.7), rubella (79.3%; 95% CI: 78.2-80.3), and measles (45.8%; 95% CI: 44.8-46.9) with substantial heterogeneity across PSUs. Clusters of seronegativity to measles (relative risk [RR]: 1.16,

conclusionsThese findings demonstrate significant variation in seroprevalence and pockets of low population immunity to multiple VPDs, highlighting the key advantage of an integrated rather than siloed approach. The relatively high seroprevalence to rubella suggests potential community transmission, emphasising the need to strengthen congenital rubella surveillance and improve vaccination coverage. Identifying low immunity to VPDs can provide an early warning to potential outbreak risk and support the Ministry of Health to target public health interventions in higher-risk areas.

Indexed as

immunityintegrated serosurveillancemultiplex bead assaysSamoaseroprevalencevaccine-preventable diseases

Identifiers

PMID41591218
PMCPMC12846106

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.