Rubella in female migrant factory workers in Shenzhen, China (Abstract for a poster)

Rubella remains a current public health threat in China. Although Rubella-containing vaccines were added to China's National Expanded Program of Immunization (NEPI) in 2007, resource challenges prevent universal coverage throughout the country. In Shenzhen, where rates of rubella are greater than other parts of the country, lack of rubella surveillance among mothers of childbearing age contributes to Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS), a major cause of severe birth defects amongst newborns. Migrant women of childbearing age make up a significant proportion of the large factory workforce in Shenzhen and are a key population in preventing rubella and CRS. We measured levels of rubella antibodies through serum sampling among 518 female migrant factory workers in 44 randomly selected factories in Shenzhen, China. Samples were tested for Rubella Immunoglobulin G (IgG) using a commercial Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay kit. Self-reported vaccination histories and socio-demographic information were also collected and later used in multivariate analysis. Results showed that seroprevalence of antibodies to rubella was too low to provide immunity in the population. Of 518 female workers, only 402 (77.6%) were immune. Significant factors in seronegativity include region of origin, being without a job contract, age group, marital status and seronegativity of measles. Given the high numbers of women of childbearing age amongst Shenzhen migrant factory workers, and growing migration to Shenzhen from provinces across China, local health authorities should consider combining new rubella immunization programs with existing immunization efforts for this population.