Molecular Detection of Rubella Virus among Apparently Healthy Pregnant Women in Khartoum State

Abstract

This study was aimed to detect rubella virus antibodies (IgM and IgG) by ELISA and then was confirmed by detection viral genome by Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) among apparently healthy pregnant women in Khartoum State. In this study 358 plasma and sera were collected; from which 2 (0.56%) were IgM +ve and 320 (89.39%) were IgG +ve, and there was no association between IgM and IgG results with the trimester and gravidity. The results showed that; there was no association between IgM and family members, season and socioeconomic situation while IgG had no association with miscarriage and number of miscarriages.Out of 169 there was 4(2.4%) positive by RT-PCR and there was no association between residence, trimester and season of year with the presence of RV. Also it found that primagravida had a risk in acquiring infection but family size and socioeconomic situation had no risk to get infection. The current study concludes that; rubella virus genome and recent infection were detected in few apparently healthy pregnant women, while the percentage of previous infection was high.