Peer-reviewed article
Pre- vaccination seroprevalence of rubella IgM among women of child bearing age in southeast Nigeria: a five-year cross-sectional study.
Chinedu Michael Chukwubike, Chioma Uju Benjamin-Puja, Constance Ugochi Azubuike, Chioma Chinyere Edu-Alamba, Elezuo Okorie Elezuo et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study measured rubella infection rates among women of childbearing age in Southeast Nigeria to understand the risk of congenital rubella syndrome in newborns. Researchers tested blood samples from 405 women aged 15-49 years across five states between 2020 and 2024. About 7% of women showed evidence of recent rubella infection, with the highest rates in teenagers and declining with age. The findings show that rubella continues to circulate in Nigeria, particularly in areas with lower vaccination coverage, putting unborn children at risk of serious disabilities.
Key points
- Overall rubella IgM seroprevalence was 6.7% (27 of 405 women tested)
- Adolescents aged 15-19 years had the highest positivity rate at 11.7%, declining to 1.9% among women aged 30-34 years
- Rubella positivity peaked in 2020 (16.0%) and 2024 (14.5%), suggesting ongoing transmission
- Imo State had the highest prevalence at 10.1% with an incidence of 7.3 per 1,000,000 population
- The study provides baseline data for assessing vaccine impact in Nigeria
Limitations
This is a descriptive seroprevalence study that measures infection rates at one point in time; it cannot determine causation or assess vaccination impact directly. The study does not provide information about vaccination coverage rates, immunity levels from vaccination, or the actual incidence of congenital rubella syndrome cases in Nigeria.
Abstract
Rubella is an acute, contagious viral illness that is generally mild, yet infection during early pregnancy can cause congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), a serious condition associated with deafness, blindness, congenital heart defects, and developmental disabilities. Although vaccination is the only effective preventive measure, rubella continues to circulate in regions with low immunization coverage. This study assessed the pre-vaccination seroprevalence of rubella IgM antibodies among women of reproductive age in Southeast Nigeria. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from 2020 to 2024 among 405 women aged 15-49 years across five states in Southeast Nigeria. Serum samples were tested for rubella IgM antibodies using ELISA. Rubella IgM seroprevalence was 6.7% (27/405). Adolescents, 15-19 years had the highest positivity (11.7%), with prevalence declining steadily with age to 1.9% among women aged 30-34 years. Rubella positivity peaked in 2020 (16.0%) and 2024 (14.5%), with Imo State showing the highest prevalence (10.1%) and an incidence of 7.3 per 1,000,000 population. Rubella IgM positivity among women of childbearing age indicates ongoing transmission and susceptibility, particularly among adolescents. These findings provide baseline data for assessing vaccine impact and highlight the need for stronger surveillance and improved uptake to prevent CRS in Nigeria.