title: Rubella seroprevalence among healthy individuals in Izmir, Turkey.
abstract: In order to assess immunity to rubella in Izmir, Turkey, a total of 600 persons of 1-70 years of age were selected with cluster sampling. Of the 597 subjects, 120(20.1%) was susceptible to the rubella according to their serum antibody levels. Of children 1 to 6 years of age, 50.9% was found to be serologically susceptible to rubella. Rubella protection rates showed a age-related increase, reaching maximum in the 15-19 age group, in which 98.1% of these subjects had antibody titre above the full protective level. Of the 126 females in the reproductive age group, only 4(3.1%) were found to be serologically susceptible to rubella. Logistic regression analysis showed that among the several independent variables, only age (p< 0.001) was significantly associated with rubella protective antibody levels. Epidemiological studies should continue as the epidemiological characteristics of the disease may change depending on the uptake of MMR vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kurugöl
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Midyat
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Türkoğlu
authors.forename: Tijen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozacar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012409:Rubella / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral