Prevalence of rubella IgG antibodies among pregnant women in Zaria, Nigeria

Rubella is a vaccine-preventable viral infection which in pregnancy can lead to foetal wastage and congenital malformations. A rubella IgG serosurvey of 430 consenting pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic was conducted at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria between 1 May 2007 and 29 February 2008. Questionnaires were also used to assess their level of awareness and pregnancy outcomes noted. Of the 430 serum samples tested, 421 (97.9%) were positive and 9 (2.1%) were negative for rubella IgG antibody. Differences in sociodemographic factors were of little significance between the groups and awareness of the infection was low. This high prevalence suggests that a sustained viral circulation exists in children and infection occurs early in infancy hence a high level of immunity exists in pregnant women with low levels of complications. In the absence of mass vaccination, all seronegative women should be vaccinated after delivery. (C) 2010 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.