Contribution to the study of rubella epidemiology in rural Upper-Volta

A survey aiming at evaluating the proportion of the female population aged 0-29 years, with a positive anti-rubella antibody titer, was carried out in two Upper-Volta villages, representative of the Sahel (Oursi) and the Savannah (Donse) biotopes. A technique of inhibition of haemagglutination was used and 40 or more was considered as a positive titer. Seventy per cent of 230 serums were positive, all ages confounded. The proportion positive was 96% in the age group 12-18 years and 76% in the age group 19-29 years. Extrapolating these findings to the Upper-Volta rural population we estimated the risk of congenital infection to justify the decision against or in favour of a vaccination campaign. On the basis of our results, it is suggested that rubella has low priority in public health planning in rural Upper-Volta and that mass vaccination is at present not justified.