Evaluating Rubella Immunity in Women of Reproductive Age in Mysuru: A Cross-Sectional Serosurvey

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of rubella IgG antibodies among women of reproductive age in Mysuru, India.Estimating the rubella seroprevalence in this populationis crucial for informing public health interventions aimed at preventing congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), a severe birth defect caused by rubella infection during pregnancy.Methods: A cross-sectional serosurvey was conducted among women of reproductive age (18-38 years) in Mysuru city from January 15, 2019, to December 31, 2019.A total of 311 participants were recruited using a convenience sampling technique.Rubella IgG antibody levels were measured using ELISA with the CALBIOTECH Rubella IgG ELISA kit.Results: The mean age of the 311 women of reproductive age included in the study was 25.8 5.2 years.Age was not significantly associated with rubella IgG antibody status (P=0.123).Overall, 95.5% (n = 297) of participants were seropositive for rubella IgG antibodies, indicating immunity against rubella.The lowest seroprevalence (92.1%, n = 51) was observed in the 21-25 years age group.Although not statistically significant (P=0.872), a slightly higher proportion of urban residents (95.68%, n = 267) were seropositive compared to rural residents.Furthermore, participants with a history of normal pregnancy (98.59%, n = 166) and those who reported being vaccinated (100%) had a significantly higher seroprevalence of rubella IgG antibodies. Conclusion:This study found a high seroprevalence of rubella IgG antibodies (95.5%) among women of reproductive age in Mysuru, indicating a potentially low risk of rubella infection and a high level of population immunity.This high seroprevalence is likely attributable to the successful implementation of the national Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign in India, as evidenced by the high seroprevalence observed self-reported vaccinated participants.Further research is warranted to investigate the duration of rubella immunity conferred by vaccination and to assess the need for booster doses in this population.