English Abstract
ABSTRACT :
This serological survey was carried out using the single-radial-hemolysis test (SRH), with a view to study the distribu-tion of rubella antibodies in children and women of childbearing age in Bahrain. Specimens were collected during 1981, from diffe-rent age groups including children and adult females.
It was observed that rubella infection could occur in young children and its incidence rose steadily from school age to ado-lescence leaving 13.2% of the adults without antibody. Among 167 school children of both sexes 34.1% were seronegative, indicating susceptibility to rubella. Females from schools in the age groups 15-18, 19-24, 25-42 showed 15.5%, 10.0%, 6.6% respective suscepti-bilities. The same pattern of rubella antibody was found among the females of the College of Health Sciences. 14.2% and 9.0% susceptibilities were recognized in the 15-18, 19-24 age groups. Slightly less susceptibility (10.2%) was noted among pregnant women attending the Ante-natal clinic for follow-up.
The SRH employed in this study, correlated well with the HI method for detecting rubella antibody, and was to be simple, re-liable, easy to perform and well suited for screening of a large number of sera.
The results of this study suggest that rubella is endemic in Bahrain. Thus we stress the importance of awareness of females of childbearing age of the possibility of acquiring acute rubella infection with its subsequent complication specially in the first trimester of pregnancy and urge the vaccination of susceptible females prior to marriage.
