This study was designed to determine the age-specific rubella seroprevalence in women of childbearing age in Morocco and to contribute to the development of a rubella vaccination strategy in the country. Of 967 women aged 15-39 years tested in 2000, 161 (16.6%) were susceptible to rubella based on absence of IgG antibodies. A significantly higher rate of susceptibility among women aged 15-19 years was observed (29.3%) compared with age 35-39 years (8.3%). An estimated 77 562 live births occur annually to rubella-susceptible women. No statistical difference in seroprevalence was seen between women in rural and urban areas (81.5% and 85.0% respectively). A substantial risk of rubella infection exists for Moroccan women of childbearing age.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.