SEROPREVALENCE OF RUBELLA ANTIBODIES AMONG TURKISH AND FOREIGN WOMEN IN TURKEY

The aims of this study were to determine seroprevalence of rubella antibodies among Turkish and foreign women living in Turkey and to estimate percent women susceptible to rubella infection. This retrospective study was conducted among 970 women (816 Turks) attending gynecology and obstetrics outpatient clinics. Serum samples were tested for anti-rubella IgG and IgM by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Eighty-eight percent of the subjects were positive only for anti-rubella IgG indicating immunity to rubella infection, none for only anti-rubella IgM and 1.5% for both anti-rubella IgM and IgG, the latter having a high avidity of anti-rubella IgG signifying a previous infection. Anti-rubella IgG seropositivity rate alone for Turkish women is 86.1%, significantly higher than that for foreign women. A significant association between age and seropositivity was found only for the age group of 15-20 years among both Turkish and foreign women. Anti-rubella IgG seropositivity rate of pregnant women increased with increasing age from 10.7% (at 15-20 years old) to 85.5% (at 36-40 years old). Among non-pregnant women, both anti-rubella IgM and IgG seronegativity rates were significantly higher in the age group of 31-35 years than the other age groups. Our results indicate that all pregnant women in Turkey should routinely be screened for anti-rubella IgM and IgG at antenatal period. Evaluation of susceptibility of women in reproductive age to rubella infection is important to setup a strategy for preventing antenatal rubella through vaccination of non-immune women throughout the country.