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Objectives: This study aims to find out the rubella seroprevalence in 0-59 month old children who were not vaccinated for rubella in the uty area of Dogankent Health Center where people of low socio- economic level lives.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was made on 331 children aged between 0- 59 months who were not vaccinated with rubella vaccine.
Results: Rubella seropositivity was found as 17.5%. Rubella seropositivity was significantly high in 48- 59 month old children, in children who live in a household with one member going to school or who have uneducated parents (p<0.05). Asymptomatic infection rate was 98.3%. There was not significant difference in the rubella seropositivity of the children as a result of the gender, presence of a rubella history of the children, size of the household, or number of children at home (p>0.05).
Conclusions: MMR vaccination in Turkey has been incorporated into national vaccination programme only in 2006. In the present study, rubella seropositivity is low in children aged 0- 59 months. In order to eradicate rubella and CRS, it is necessary that use of MMR vaccine should be expanded nationwide rapidly by the Ministry of Health; the regulation should be revised to include the children born before 2005.
Key Words: children, rubella, seroprevalence
Learning Objectives: 1. In this study rubella seropositivity is low (17.5%) in children aged 0-59 months in a rural area in Turkey. 2. Rubella seropositivity increases with age and with low socioeconomic level and asymptomatic infection rate is very high. 3. In Turkey, MMR vaccination has been incorporated into national vaccination programme in 2006 and in order to eradicate rubella and congenital rubella, the regulation should be revised to include the children born before 2005.
Sub-Theme: Poverty, Health and Development: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals