Evaluation of immunity to poliovirus among pregnant women at their deliveries

Abstract EN

A cross- sectional study was conducted to investigate the level of anti- poliovirus antibodies among 441 pregnant women at time of their deliveries (328 full-term and 113 pre-term deliveries).

All cases had normal vaginal deliveries from Al-Kadimiyia University Hospital, for the period April- July 2001.

Blood samples were collected and sera were separated and stored at- 20°C until used.The sera were examined by £nzyme linked immunesorbent assay (ELISA) using three poliovirus serotype antigens.

Results showed that there were significant differences between antibodies to the three serotypes of poliovirus antigen in maternal blood samples (p<0.0001)There was also a significantly lower level of antibody to type 1 in full-term than pre-term group (p= 0.035).A result which emphasis on giving oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) to newly born infants to protect them against infection.