RUBELLA SEROLOGY BY SOLID-PHASE RADIOIMMUNOASSAY - POTENTIAL FOR SCREENING PROGRAMS

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  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 31  (1) , 50-54
Abstract
Sera from 269 adult females who had experienced naturally acquired or vaccine-induced infection by rubella virus, including immune persons challenged intranasally with rubella vaccine (RA27/3) as well as sera from 100 patients attending antenatal clinics, were tested for rubella antibodies by the conventional hemagglutination inhibition tests (HAI), as well as a newly developed solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) for rubella immunoglobulin (Ig) antibodies. Following naturally acquired and vaccine-induced infection, titers by RIA were approximately 10-fold higher than by HAI. The RIA test was particularly useful in assessing the true immune status of those with apparently low levels of HAI antibody and has the added advantage that pre-treatment of sera to remove inhibitors of hemagglutination and red cell agglutinins is unnecessary. The RIA test has potential for the large-scale screening programs which need to be carried out if the Department of Health and Social Security recommendation, that women attending antenatal and family planning clinics be screened for rubella antibodies, is to be effectively met.