Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 56, 23-25, 2003

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Short Communication

Age Specific Rubella Seroprevalence of an Unvaccinated Population of Adolescents in Ankara, Turkey

Nuray Oksuz Kanbur*, Orhan Derman, Tezer Kutluk and Erol Kinik

The Adolescent Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

(Received November 18, 2002. Accepted January 22, 2003)

SUMMARY: This study was desighned to detect the age-specific rubella seroprevalence of an unvaccinated population of adolescents in Ankara, Turkey. Four hundred and forty adolescents (227 females, 213 males), aged 9-16 years, who were admitted to the Adolescent Unit from July to August 2000 were included in this study. For each participant, a questionnaire was completed and rubella-specific IgG antibodies were screened quantitatively by enzyme-linked fluorescent assay. Of the 440 patients screened for rubella antibodies, 32 (7.3%) were seronegative. Rubella seronegativity values according to sex and age groups were as follows: 15.3, 6.6, and 1.3% in females, and 12.0, 6.1, and 6.2% in males, in the age groups of 9-10, 11-13, and 14-16 years, respectively. The routine health supervision visit recommended between the age of 11 and 12 is an ideal time to immunize unvaccinated adolescents.

Corresponding author: Mailing address: The Adolescent Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara 06100, Turkey. Fax: +90-312-3243284, E-mail: nuraykanbur@hotmail.com

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