THE IMMUNITY OF REPRODUCTIVE AGES WOMEN TO RUBELLA VIRUS INFECTION IN KAZEROON, 2000-2001

Congenital rubella is one of the most important causes of neoneatal mortality and morbidity which can be prevented. Women's immunization is a step in elimination or decrease of mortality and morbidity due to rubella virus infection in pregnancy. Therefore this descriptive study was carried out to determine rubella immunity among 420 reproductive age women that gathered from the six sanitary areas of Kazeroon city. This random selection was done base on the urban areas.Serum anti rubella antibody (IgG) was detected, using ELISA method by Radim Rubella kit. Serum anti rubella antibody (IgM) was detected for seronegative women based on IgG. In this study, it is shown that immunity rate differs from 89/94% to97/43% with an average of 94/05%. None of unimmune women according to the IgG were infected by rubella based on the IgM.The result of the present study identifies women's immunity in Kazeroon is more than predicated critical level of immunity for vaccination, but it is suggested that women be checked serologically for IgG against rubella virus prior to marriage or pregnancy and seronegative women be immunized against rubella.