Investigation of Rubella antibodies among women of childbearing age in Sanliurfa province: An evaluation of three years period

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate seroprevalance of antibodies against rubella virus that may lead to congenital infection among women of fertility age as a risk group that referred to Şanlıurfa Women's Health and Maternity Hospital in the period between 01. 01.2007 and 31.12.2009. Materials and methods:The results of 13.037 of rubella IgM and 12.134 of rubella IgG antibodies that investigated in the sera samples, by using the methods chemiluminescense immunoassay and electrochemiluminescence, obtained from the women in fertility age that referred to the hospital with various complaints. Results were evaluated by classifying in five age subgroups in terms of negative, border line and positive according to the manufacturer's description.Results: Totally, 13.037 women in the age range of 15-49 years (average age 28.35±7.48 years) were evaluated. Negative, positive and border line ratios of the rubella IgM antibodies were found as 98.1%, 1.7% and 0.2%, respectively. Rubella IgG seropositivity was 94.1% whereas its seronegativity rate was 5.9%. The highest rate of rubella IgG seropositivity was found in the 35-44 years age group. In comparison to the other age groups, this would be considered significantly high except up to 49 age group (p<0.001). Rubella IgG seropositivity was found only in 221 patients (1.7%). The highest seropositivity rate was found in the age range of 35-44, and this high rate was statically significant except that in the age group of 25-34 (p<0.001). Conclusion:Because of the rubella seropositivity was high in this province, it might be concluded that scanning of the antibodies to rubella in women living in Şanlıurfa was unnecessary. However, considering of the problems due to the infection during pregnancy, antibodies to rubella should be scanned in women that not vaccinated in the childhood age or previously not have the disease, and they should be offered the vaccination. Gereç ve yöntem:Çeşitli şikayetlerle hastaneye baş-vuran doğurganlık çağındaki kadınlardan alınan serum örneklerinde kemilüminesans immüno assay ve ElectroChemi Luminescence yöntemi ile çalışılan toplam 13.037 rubella IgM ve 12134 rubella IgG antikor sonuçları retrospektif olarak incelenmiştir. Sonuçlar üretici firmanın öne-rileri doğrultusunda negatif, sınır değer ve pozitif olarak sınıflandırılmış ve beş farklı yaş grubuna ayrılarak değer-lendirilmiştir. Bulgular:Çalışmaya dahil edilen yaşları 15-49 arasında değişen13.037 kadının yaş ortalaması 28.35±7.48 idi. Ça-lışılan serum örneklerinde, rubella Ig M antikorlarının negatiflik, pozitiflik, ve sınır değer oranları sırasıyla %98.1, %1.7 ve %0.2 olarak saptanmıştır. Rubella IgG pozitifliği %94.1 iken; negatiflik oranı %5.9 bulunmuştur. Rubella IgG pozitiflik oranı en yüksek 35-44 yaş grubunda bulundu ve diğer yaş grupları ile karşılaştırıldığında 49 yaş üstü grup dışında anlamlı şekilde yüksek olduğu saptandı (p<0.001). Rubella IgM pozitifliği ise sadece 221 hastada bulundu (%1.7), pozitiflik oranı en çok yine 35-44 yaş aralığında görülmüş ve ...