[The evaluation of susceptibility to rubella in women of childbearing age; the experience of the Asl Roma C]

Abstract

The new Plan for Elimination of Measles and Congenital Rubella 2010-15 recommends the local health unit (ASL) to analyze the immunization coverage data available in the adult population cohorts, in order to identify susceptible people. The aim of this paper is to estimate the susceptibility to rubella in resident women of childbearing age, through integration of all ASL data sources, in order to implement the most appropriate vaccination strategy for susceptible women. In ASL Roma C, the "PASSI" surveillance system estimates a 53% prevalence of childbearing age women immune to rubella; as many as 43 % is not aware of her immune status and 4% is certainly susceptible because of reporting a negative result "rubeotest" (years 2008-10). The data extracted from the database of the ASL Roma C laboratory (year 2010) estimate a prevalence of approximately 20% of susceptibility among women who spontaneously perform a rubeotest at the hospital laboratory for any reason (control or pregnancy). Childbearing age women susceptible to rubella, residing in the territory of our ASL, are definitely more than 5%, ranging from 4% estimated by the "PASSI" surveillance system to 20% detected by hospital laboratory.