Rubella as an aetiological factor of congenital malformation in Calcutta--a serological study
Chakrabarty, M.S.; Das, B.C.; Gupta, B.; Sarkar, J.K.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 63(10): 1438-1445
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 1222956 Document Number: 93842
Serum samples from congenitally defective children of Calcutta, India, and 151 samples from control babies with no defects were tested against rubella antigen for presence of hemagglutination inhibition antibody. The overall incidences of rubella antibody in malformed children and control babies were 32.1 and 33.1%, respectively. The proportion of positive sera in rubella syndrome cases (48.5%) differed significantly from the other malformed (17.5%) and control cases (33.1%). The positive reactors of the rubella syndrome group differed significantly from the other malformed and control groups in respect of antibody titers. The maternal sera of 21 malformed babies were tested, of which 12 had lower antibody titer than that of their babies. Incidence of rubella positive sera of rubella syndrome babies was higher in the younger age group compared to the other 2 groups. Most rubella syndrome children and a few other malformed babies might have been infected in utero.