Rubella infection in females of reproductive age and newborns in Taiwan
Ko, T.M.; Chang, D.Y.; Yang, Y.S.; Lee, T.Y.
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association 85(9): 856-861
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0371-7682 PMID: 3470431 Document Number: 281506
With enzyme immunoassay (EIA), 61 gravidas suspected of having recent rubella infection (group A), 605 newborns (group B), and 816 randomly selected women of reproductive age (group C) were studied for rubella-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies from September 1984 through October 1985. In group A gravidas, 10 were demonstrated to have rubella IgM and all of them were symptomatic. Five pregnancies were artificially terminated, but no rubella virus could be isolated from the abortuses. Another 4 pregnancies were carried to term. Babies were normal during the follow-up period of 3 to 12 months. In group B newborns, all sera were negative for rubella IgM. In group C subjects, 78.4% had rubella IgG but none had IgM. The other 21.6% were negative for both IgG and IgM. The age-specific incidence of positive rubella IgG increased steadily with age, from 58.3% of 15-19 years old to 89.4% of 35-39 years old.