Anticorpos neutralizantes contra rubéola num grupo de gestantes de São Paulo

Abstract

Levels of neutralizing antibodies against rubella were determined on 778 pregnant women attending the Outpatient Department of the "Casa Maternal Leonor Mendes de Barros". Of the 778 women, 600 had titers of 4 and over (dilution 1:4). The total group presented an average age of 25.6 years. For the 15 to 19 years group, 79.43% of the patients had titers of 4 and over; in the remaining groups the corresponding percentages were: 20 to 24 years, 75.69%; 25 to 29 years, 77.38%; 30 to 34 years, 82,50%; 35 to 39 years, 74.58% and 40 to 44 years, 50.00%. Comparison of these results shows that percentages of positivity at ages between 15 and 39 years are very similar but those of group 40 to 44 years are markedly lower. The difference is statistically significant at the level of 0.01. Regarding the color, 79.14% of the 350 white females, 75.56% of the 90 negro females, 75.71% of the 317 halfbreeds and 71.43% of the 21 yellow females (Japanese) showed antibodies at the above mentioned level. For epidemiologic surveys, on large scale, the neutralization test presents certain practical disadvantages, which renders ample study of correlation of the results of this test with those of other tests (among which haemagglutination inhibition test stands out) necessary.