Rubella sero-prevalence among children in Kilimanjaro region: a community based study prior to the introduction of rubella vaccine in Tanzania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Childhood rubella infection is a mild, self-limiting illness. Rubella infection among pregnant women however, is a major public health concern. Depending on gestation age, it may result in fetal death, stillbirth or a new-born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Maternal antibodies protect young infants from rubella infection and lifelong immunity is acquired by vaccination or post-rubella infection. This study aims at characterizing rubella infection and its epidemiology in the Kilimanjaro region, prior to the introduction of the rubella vaccine in Tanzania.

Methods

This was a population based cross-sectional study, covering all the seven districts in Kilimanjaro region, North-eastern Tanzania. The study population included children of 0 to 36 months of age a

SUBMITTER: Chotta NAS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5521071 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature