Rubella Seroprevalence among the General Population in Dongguan, China

Abstract

SUMMARY:In order to assess the immunity to rubella infection in Dongguan, China, we conducted a seroprevalence survey on rubella and used ELISA to measure rubella-specific IgG in serum samples. A total of 1,017 individuals aged 0-59 years were selected by multistage cluster sampling. Among them, 904 (88.9z) were seropositive for rubella. Two groups (20-29 and 40 years) had seropositivity rates of ＜90z. In comparison with participants aged 20 years, rubella immunization rates were higher in those aged ＜20 years (83.2z vs. 93.7z, respectively; x 2 ＝ 28.063, P ＜ 0.001). Among women aged 20-29 years, only 63.8z had antibodies above the protective level. Multivariate analysis revealed that only sex and age were significantly associated with rubella-protective antibody levels. Our results suggest that in the study area, women of childbearing age had a greater serological susceptibility to rubella. Additional vaccinations for rubella of susceptible young adults should be considered, particularly in women of childbearing age.

Sociodemographic and economic characteristics of susceptibility to rubella among women preparing for pregnancy in rural China

“…Previous studies in China have reported different rubellaspecific IgG seronegativity rates among the different GDP per capita regions (Mou et al, 2010;Lin et al, 2015;Chen et al, 2013). The present study indicated that women in lower GDP per capita areas were more likely to be susceptible to rubella than women in high GDP per capita areas, in the total group.…”

“…A survey conducted in the city of Shenzhen in 2010 showed that the seronegativity rate among female migrant factory workers aged 20-39 years was 23.9% (Mou et al, 2010). A survey conducted in Guangdong Province in 2012 showed that the seronegativity rate of women aged 20-60 years was 26% (Lin et al, 2015). The present study indicated that in 780 000 women aged 21-49 years who were planning to have a baby, the seronegativity rate was 33.79% in the total group and it was 26.89%, 37.86%, and 32.61% in high, middle, and low GDP per capita areas, respectively, rates that are higher than in the small-sample surveys.…”

“…Following the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, regions or countries attempting rubella control and elimination should ensure that routine vaccine coverage in children is above 85% and sustainable in the long term to ensure rubella immunity among women of childbearing age (rubella vaccines: WHO position paper, 2011; Lin et al, 2015). In China, vaccination is an important factor affecting the rubella-specific susceptibility.…”

“…A single-dose rubella vaccine was introduced in China in 1995. At that time, vaccine recipients had to pay for the vaccine themselves (Lin et al, 2015;Gao and Hethcote, 2006). The rubella vaccine was included in the national expanded program on immunization in China in 2006, focusing on children, and these recipients were vaccinated for free (Chen et al, 2013).…”