BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL, 1985 · DOI: · Published: November 30, 1985
The study evaluated different methods for detecting rubella antibodies after vaccination to determine the optimal timing for screening. IgM antibodies were detected early, but IgG antibodies, indicative of longer-term immunity, were detected later by single radial haemolysis. Enhanced single radial haemolysis can increase sensitivity, but screening should be done two months after vaccination to avoid false negatives.
Screening for rubella antibodies should be performed approximately two months post-vaccination to ensure accurate results.
Consider using enhanced single radial haemolysis to increase sensitivity, or alternative methods like haemagglutination inhibition or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for quicker, though potentially less specific, results.
Be cautious when interpreting rubella IgM results due to the potential for prolonged persistence of IgM antibodies post-vaccination, which may lead to false positives.