Seroprevalence Survey of Rubella IgG Antibodies among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Rubella is a mild, contagious viral infection that is endemic worldwide and poses a serious threat to infants and pregnant women. It causes a spectrum of severe birth defects like congenital rubella syndrome, abortions, and stillbirth if the infection occurs within the first trimester of pregnancy. The seroprevalence of rubella IgG antibodies was investigated among 187 pregnant women attending Mile Four Hospital (MFH) Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Blood specimens were collected from the subjects, and sera were extracted. The sera were screened for rubella virus immunoglobulin G antibody (IgG) using ELISA test kit (Micro Immune Limited, UK). The results obtained were subjected to SPSS system and Chi-square test for significant difference at a 95% confidence interval. Of the 187 pregnant women tested, 174 (93.05%) were positive for the rubella virus IgG. This study revealed that all the subjects who were 41 years and above tested positive 5 (100.00%), whereas those who were 15 years and below 2 subjects had a prevalence rate of 50.00%. Pregnant women in their third, first, and second trimesters had prevalence rates of 95.75%, 95.35%, and 86.95%, respectively. Samples tested show that unmarried women were more infected with anti-rubella IgG at 94.44%, followed by married women with 93.79%, and divorcees had 90.91%. However, widows had the least prevalence rate of 84.62%. Occupationally, women civil servants had a prevalence rate of 97.56%. Educationally, pregnant women with tertiary education were more infected, rubella virus amounting to 96.61%. More infection was found among women living in rural areas with a 93.59% rate than their urban counterparts who had 92.66%. Furthermore, primigravida women were more infected (95.16%). The seroprevalence of rubella in this study was high, calling for general surveillance and mass immunization of children and females of childbearing age.