SEROPREVALENCE OF PANDEMIC H1N1 INFLUENZA AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN KERALA, INDIA

BACKGROUNDPandemic influenza affected all sections of the society with maximum involvement among younger population. Pregnant females were at high risk for severe disease and complications. 1 This study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of pandemic H1N1 influenza among pregnant women in Kerala.MATERIALS AND METHODSA cross sectional study was conducted in three badly affected districts of Kerala during the post-pandemic period. Sample size was calculated with prevalence of 32%, (2) alpha error 5%, relative precision 20% and design effect of 1.5. Univariate analysis was done and proportions were calculated. Blood samples were collected from 355 pregnant women who participated in the study. ELISA, using a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against influenza A Haemagglutinin protein (HP) was done to detect antibodies against influenza.RESULTSTwo third of the study population were housewives, high school educated and socioeconomically in the lower class. 98.3% of them were ELISA positive indicating that almost all of them were exposed to pandemic H1N1 influenza during the pandemic period.CONCLUSIONMost of the pregnant women developed protective antibodies against pandemic H1N1 influenza, hence got public health relevance.