Serologic status of women in an urban population in Brazil before and after rubella immunization campaign using routine screening data.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Serologic immunity studies are necessary to evaluate immunization policies for rubella control and prevention of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), and serologic data from regular testing for clinical follow-up can be used to complement surveillance information.

METHODS:

To assess immunity to rubella after an immunization campaign in 12-29-year-old girls and women, we retrospectively reviewed immunoglobulin (Ig) G tests performed from 2000 to 2003 in 9610 serum samples from pregnant subjects in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Serologic tests for rubella were performed using commercial enzyme immunoassays.

RESULTS:

Rubella IgG were positive in 83.9% of serum samples collected before the campaign and in 92.5% after the campaign. The proportion of seropositive subjects was inversely related to age (P < .001). The proportion of immune girls or women aged 12-29 years, targeted by the campaign, was significantly increased after the campaign, whereas women aged ≥ 30 years, not targeted by the campaign, had no change in serologic immunity. Geometric mean titers for rubella IgG were significantly higher among pregnant girls and women after the vaccination campaign.

CONCLUSIONS:

The convenience sample provided evidence of increased population immunity among the girls and women targeted by the campaign, but with a coverage of only 83% there remains a significant population at risk for rubella and thus congenital rubella syndrome.

• Authors: Solange Artimos de Oliveira, Luiz Antonio Bastos Camacho, Maria Cláudia Uzeda Barreto, Luis Guillermo Coca Velarde, Marilda Mendonça Siqueira
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 204 Suppl 2 Pg. S664-8 (Sep 01 2011) ISSN: 1537-6613 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21954264 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral
• Immunoglobulin G
• Rubella Vaccine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Antibodies, Viral (blood)
• Brazil (epidemiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (blood)
• Mass Vaccination
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Complications, Infectious (prevention & control)
• Rubella (blood, epidemiology, prevention & control)
• Rubella Vaccine (administration & dosage, immunology)
• Serologic Tests
• Urban Population
• Young Adult