Volume : IV, Issue : I, January - 2014

Seropositivity of Anti–Rubella antibodies among Health Care Professionals

Velvizhi G, Sucilathangam G, Anna T

Abstract :

Rubella is traditionally considered a childhood disease but has the potential to cause outeaks in hospital set ups. It is important to know the susceptibility status of health care workers (HCWs) as to frame guidelines for their immunization and thus prevent hospital outeaks. The rubella susceptibility status of 90 HCWs working in the institute was assessed. This study was initiated after we reported an outeak due to rubella among HCWs of our institute. The serum samples were tested to determine Rubella IgG titres by enzyme linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Overall, 48 (15.3%) subjects were found to be negative, thereby indicating their susceptibility to infection. Out of them, 29 (60.5%) were in contact with pregnant women during the course of their employment. There is a risk of nosocomial transmission of rubella from affected HCWs to their contacts especially pregnant women as many of the rubella infections are asymptomatic. Hence, we stress the need for vaccinating the HCWs at the start of their employment to contain the spread of infection and also to reduce the risk of outeaks in work place.

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

Cite This Article:

Velvizhi G, Sucilathangam G, Anna T Seropositivity of Anti-Rubella antibodies among Health Care Professionals Indian Journal of Applied Research, Vol.IV, Issue. I

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