CURRENT SEROEPIDEMIOLOGY OF RUBELLA-VIRUS INFECTION AMONG FEMALE RESIDENTS IN TAIWAN

To examine the epidemiological characteristics of rubella virus infect ion on Taiwan Island and in Orchid and Pescadore islets, a community-b ased survey was carried out in 19 townships and metropolitan precincts randomly selected through stratified sampling. Serum specimens of 4,7 70 healthy girls and women randomly sampled from study areas were scre ened for the rubella antibody by passive latex agglutination testing a nd confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A total of 2,934 su bjects were antibody positive, giving a prevalence of 61.5%. The mean +/- standard deviation of rubella IgG index was 2.51 +/- 0.37. The ser opositive rate increased with age in all residential areas and ethnic groups. The age pattern indicated that the regular 10-year cycle of ru bella epidemic was no longer existent after 1978. A higher prevalence was observed in the eastern island and Orchid Islets compared with oth er areas. The highest seropositive rate was found in Orchid Islets. Th e overall seronegative rate was 62.9% for females <20 years of age and 36.9% for women between the ages of 20 and 29 years. With such a high susceptible density among girls and women of child-bearing ages as we ll as the endemicity of rubella virus infection in Taiwan, mass vaccin ation against rubella should be enforced in order to prevent possible future outbreaks of the congenital rubella syndrome. (C) 1993 Wiley-Li ss, Inc.