Perfil soroepidemiológico da Rubéola no período pré-vacinal (1989 a 1999) e pós-vacinal (2000 a 2005) de pacientes referenciados ao Instituto Evandro Chagas

Abstract

Rubella is a usually benign exanthematic virus infection. However, it can cause Congenital Rubella Syndrome characterized by fetal malformation and spontaneous abortion when acquired during pregnancy due to its teratogenicity. A restrospective study of a database of 34.221 samples was performed in order to describe the seroepidemiological profile of rubella in patients referred to the Evandro Chagas Institute/SVS/MS, during the vaccinal period (1989 -1999) and post-vaccinal (2000- 2005). The serological tests were analyzed through research of IgM and IgG by ELISA with DADE BEHRING® laboratory kits. The infection rates found were 17,2% and 4,0% during the pre- and post-vaccinal periods, respectively. Among the symptoms observed during the pre-vaccinal period, lymphadenopathy presented the highest rate (38,4%), whereas during the post-vaccinal period arthralgia was the most prevalent (11,3%). In women in reproductive age, the mean immunity rate was 78,3% and 84,4% during the pre- and post-vaccinal periods, respectively. The infection rate in pregnant women was 9,3% during the pre-vaccinal period and 1,6% during the post-vaccinal period. The total of infected newborns in the prevaccinal period was 2,1%, and 1,0% in the post-vaccinal period. Predominance of cataract and cardiopathy, isolated or in association, was observed among the newborns. It was concluded that there was a significant difference between the frequency of all studied segments regarding the pre- and post-vaccinal periods, which confirmed the effectiveness of the vaccine in the prevention of Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome. These data highlight the need to increase the coverage of vaccination programs in order to reduce the circulation of the rubella virus in Brazil, thus accomplishing the commitment to eliminate rubella by 2010.