All issues > Volume 38(6); 1995

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1995;38(6):786-793. Published online June 15, 1995.

Prevalence of Rubella Antibodies in the Southern Central Korea

Koo Pong KP Jeong¹, Mi Ryeung MR Kim¹, Hyang Ok HO Woo², Hee Sang HS Youn², Kohji K Ueda³

¹Department of Pediatrics, Hae Sung Hospital, Asan Foundation, Ulsan, Korea
²Department of Pediatrics, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Chinju, Korea
³Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

Abstract

Purpose
: In front of the nation wide project of 15-year-old girl rubella immunization plan we performed a seroepidemiologic study to find out the age specific prevalence rate of rubella antibodies in the Southern Central Korea.
Methods
: Total 600 serum specimens from 20 cord bloods and patients of 400 children and 180 adults were obtained at the Geyongsang National University Hospital from October 1988 to December 1990. Rubella hemagglutination inhibition antibody was measured at dilutions of 1: 8 to 1: 512 by a microtiter technique. A rubella hemagglutination inhibition antibody titer of 1:8 or higher was considered to be seropsitive.
Results
: The prevalence of rubella hemagglutination antibodies was 73.3%(460/600) in the total study population. The prevalence of antibodies was 60%(12/20) in the cord sera, 17.5%(7/40) in 0 to 6 months of age, 10%(4/40) in 7 to 12 months of age, 62.5%(25/40) in 1 year of age, and 90%(18/20) in 2 years of age. The prevalence of antibodies maintained 75-100% in the group after 2 years of age. The prevalence of antibodies in the children including infants was 66%(264/400) and there was no significant difference between male and female children. The prevalence of antibodies in children over 2 years of age was 81.4%(228/280) and there was also no significant difference between male and female children. The prevalence of antibodies in the women of childbearing age was 90%(54/60). The average geometric mean titer of rubella hemagglutination inhibition antibodies was 1:56.8. The age specific geometric mean titer of anitibodies was very lower in the infants and the 1 year of age group. It increased to its first peak of 1: 105.5 in the group of 2 years, and and then decreased. It increased again to its 2 nd peak of 1: 133 in the 14 years of age group with decrement thereafter.
Conclusion
: The prevalence of rubella hemagglutination inhibition antibodies was 81.4% in the children over 2 years of age and 90% in the women of childbearing age.

Keywords :Rubella, Seroepidemiology, Hemagglutination inhibition antibody