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Congenital rubella syndrome poses risks to children, prompting vaccine introduction. This study in Niger found a 7% rubella prevalence, with higher rates in young children and specific regions, informing public health strategies.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Virology
- Public Health
Background:
- Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) results from maternal rubella infection during pregnancy, leading to severe infant sequelae.
- Widespread implementation of rubella-containing vaccines (RCV) in national immunization programs aims to prevent CRS.
- Understanding rubella seroprevalence is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of vaccination strategies and disease control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the seroprevalence of rubella in Niger.
- To assess the potential need for rubella vaccination programs in the country.
- To analyze demographic and geographic patterns of rubella infection.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive, cross-sectional study utilizing a documentary review of the national measles surveillance database (2005-2019).
- Analysis focused on serologically negative measles cases, with anti-rubella IgM testing performed using ELISA.
- Data from all regions of Niger were included in the study.
Main Results:
- Rubella was detected in 7% (366/5170) of suspected measles cases analyzed.
- The highest prevalence was observed in children aged 24-59 months (36.1%) and 5-9 years (33.6%).
- Rubella cases were reported across all regions, with higher concentrations in Maradi (28.8%), Tahoua (17%), and Zinder (15.5%).
Conclusions:
- The study indicates a significant burden of rubella in Niger, highlighting the need for targeted public health interventions.
- Findings support the consideration of introducing rubella-containing vaccines to prevent congenital rubella syndrome.
- Further research into specific risk factors and transmission dynamics is recommended.
Introduction:
Congenital rubella syndrome is a pathology following maternal and then fetal infection with the rubella virus which can cause serious sequelae in children. The incidence of this syndrome has led a large number of countries to introduce rubella-containing vaccines into their immunization programs.
Objective:
In order to estimate the seroprevalence of this disease and assess the advisability of introducing the rubella vaccine, a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Niger from 2005 to 2019. All regions of Niger were concerned by the study.
Method:
This was a documentary review-based on the epidemiological measles surveillance database (2005-2019). In this context, we have studied the serologically negative samples of suspected measles cases by performing an Elisa test for anti-rubella IgM.
Results:
Based on this data, the search for rubella was performed on 39.9% of the sample (5170/12938 suspected cases of measles). The prevalence of rubella was 7% (366/5170).The median age was 6 years with an interquartile range of 0 to 69 years. Rubella was common in all age groups with a predominance among the 24-59 month (36.1%) and 5-9 year (33.6%) age groups the most affected. Of these cases, 52.8% were men, 47.2% were women with a sex ratio of 1.1. In two cases the sex was not determined. Rubella was found in all regions of Niger with a predominance in the regions of Maradi (28.8%), Tahoua (17%), and Zinder (15.5%). 53% of people with rubella were from rural areas, 47% from urban areas. During this study, the majority of cases were notified from January to April with a peak in April.