Department of Preventive Medicine, Parasitology Medicine, Cheju National University College of Medicine.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) can be controlled by vaccination. Because rubella is typically a childhood disease, occurring predominantly in the 5 to 14 year age group, female school teachers may be a high-risk population for CRS. CONCLUSIONS: To determine the prevalence rate of rubella antibodies in school teachers of child bearing age. METHODS: The study population consisted of primary, middle and high school teachers of child bearing age. The subjects were aged 35 years and younger, and consented to immunoglobulin (Ig) level testing using the ELISA method. RESULTS: The positive rate of IgG was 77.9% in the study subjects (n=314). Sixty-three teachers (21.4%) were susceptible to rubella infection. Thirty-seven teachers (11.8%) had a history of rubella vaccination. Among the female teachers with no vaccination history, the proportion of negative IgM and IgG was 21.7%, and the proportion of positive IgM was 2.9%. Seventy-nine percent of the study subjects did not know that they should not become pregnant for three months after receiving the rubella vaccine. CONCLUSION: School teachers of child bearing age should be considered a high risk group for CRS, and should be vaccinated if they are found to be seronegative.
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