High Mumps virus IgG seropositivity among women with spontaneous abortion attending health care facilities in Mwanza, Tanzania

Abstract

Introduction: Mumps virus infection is a public health concern mainly in low- and middle-income countries and has been associated with complications such as spontaneous abortion and post-pubertal orchitis that may result in testicular atrophy and, consequently, infertility. Mumps vaccination is not currently implemented in Tanzania, and the data regarding its magnitude is limited, with no data among women with spontaneous abortions.

Objective: This study aimed to determine seropositivity and factors associated with specific mumps virus IgG antibodies among women with spontaneous abortion in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Methodology: From July to August 2022, a laboratory-based analytical cross-sectional study involving 212 sera collected between 2015 and 2019 from women with spontaneous abortions in Mwanza was conducted. Mumps IgG antibodies were detected by an indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Descriptive data analysis was done using Stata version 15.

Results: The median age of enrolled participants was 27 [IQR: 24-32] years. The overall seroprevalence of mumps virus IgG antibodies was 117/212(55.19%) [95% CI: 48.39-61.80]. Being an urban resident (OR: 3.23, 95% CI 1.83-5.96, P= 0.000) and an increase in the number of household members (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01-1.38, P=0.040) predicted seropositivity of mumps IgG antibodies among women with spontaneous abortion in Mwanza, Tanzania. 

Conclusion: More than half of the women with spontaneous abortion live in the urban settings in the city of Mwanza, Tanzania, and those living in houses with a high number of household members are Mumps virus IgG seropositive. More studies on the causal effect relationship between women with spontaneous abortion and mumps virus are warranted.