Prevalence of Rubella and HCMV Antibodies among Neonates with Congenital Defects in Four Provinces of Iran

Background and Aims: Primary infections of rubella and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can lead to severe complications in pregnancy. The screening of Rubella and HCMV in pregnant women is not routinely carried out in Iran. This cross sectional study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of HCMV and rubella infections in neonates with and without congenital defects. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in four provinces of Iran including Mazandaran, Hormozgan, Yazd, and Kerman. Demographic data were collected through questioners and samples were taken from umbilical cord bloods of 182 and 387 neonates with and without congenital defects, respectively. To detect HCMV and rubella infections we measured IgG and IgM antibodies using ELISA and HI which were used for measurement of anti-rubella total antibodies. Results: The prevalence of anti-HCMV IgG antibody was found to be around 90%, while 7.14% of neonates with congenital defects were positive for anti-HCMV IgM antibody compared to 2.84% of control group (p< 0.05). Anti-rubella total antibody was found in 85% and rubella IgM seropositivity rate was 0.5%. Conclusion: Although not for rubella, the significant correlation found between HCMV IgM positivity and congenital defects highlights the importance of these infections during pregnancy. Routine screening for rubella and HCMV should be introduced for pregnant women in our setting. Although mass rubella vaccination program is introduced in our system since 2004, preventive measures should be taken to decrease the mortality and morbidity related to primary HCMV infections.