Testing of IgG and IgM against Rubella Virus in School Girls and Pregnant Women in Hanoi where an Outbreak had occurred

Nguyen Van Bang

doi:10.4172/2161-0517.1000130

Abstract

Background: Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) is preventable illness but stays frequent in developing countries where rubella vaccination is not incorporated in national program of vaccination like in Vietnam actually. Aims: This study aimed at obtaining baseline information on acquired immunization status of school girls as well as the rate of susceptibility and rubella infection in pregnant women around a rubella outbreak in Hanoi, Vietnam. Population and methods: During and after the rubella outbreak in 2011, sera from 136 school girls (aged from 14 to 17 years) and 140 pregnant women in Hanoi French hospital were tested for rubella-specific IgG and for rubella-specific IgM (only in pregnant women) by the technique of Electro-Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA) (Roche Diagnostics) with cut-off value ≥ 10 IU/mL for IgG and ≥ 0.3 IU/mL for IgM. Results: Rubella-specific IgG antibodies was positive in 125/136 (91.9%) school girls and 119/140 (85%) pregnant women, with strong-to-extreme concentration in 86/136 (63.2%) school girls versus 19/140 (13.6%) in pregnant women (p<0.002). Rubella-specific IgG was negative (susceptible to rubella infection) in 21/140 (15%) and rubella-specific IgM antibodies was positive in 27.9% (39/140) pregnant women, of whom 38 (27.1%) a co-existence of rubella-specific IgG and IgM were documented. Conclusions: This preliminary, baseline per/post epidemic information showed a high rate of acquired immunization in female adolescents but also high rate of susceptibility and very high rate of rubella infection in pregnant women, warranting further comprehensive studies to determine robust, nationwide epidemiological data prior to establishing the national program of immunization against rubella and identify appropriate methods for CRS surveillance in Vietnam.

Highlights

Rubella usually is a mild, febrile rash illness in children and adults
This preliminary, baseline per/post epidemic information showed a high rate of acquired immunization in female adolescents and high rate of susceptibility and very high rate of rubella infection in pregnant women, warranting further comprehensive studies to determine robust, nationwide epidemiological data prior to establishing the national program of immunization against rubella and identify appropriate methods for Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) surveillance in Vietnam
Infection early in pregnancy, during the first 16 weeks of gestation can result in miscarriage, stillbirth or an infant born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) [1,2,3,4]

Summary

Introduction

Rubella usually is a mild, febrile rash illness in children and adults. infection early in pregnancy, during the first 16 weeks of gestation can result in miscarriage, stillbirth or an infant born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) [1,2,3,4]. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 238,000 children are born with CRS every year, the majority of whom live in developing countries [4,5,6,7,8,9]. WHO guidelines recommend that, for countries in Stage 1 (planning for rubella vaccination), the surveillance should focus on establishing case-based CRS detection [6,10,11,12,13] and on serological status of rubella in childbearing age and pregnant women [6,7,14,15,16,17,18,19,20]. Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) is preventable illness but stays frequent in developing countries where rubella vaccination is not incorporated in national program of vaccination like in Vietnam

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