Immunity to tetanus in pregnant women and male blood donors in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorAboud, Said
dc.date.accessioned2019-11-13T08:55:17Z
dc.date.accessioned2020-01-07T15:45:39Z
dc.date.available2019-11-13T08:55:17Z
dc.date.available2020-01-07T15:45:39Z
dc.date.issued2001
dc.descriptionAvailable in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF RC185.T34A2)en_US
dc.description.abstractThe aim of the present study was to investigate immunity to tetanus among pregnant women and male blood donors with tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In a cross-sectional study 176 pregnant women and 200 male blood donors from Muhimbili National Hospital antenatal clinic and blood bank, respectively, were examined. Using an antigen competition, indirect and avidity ELISA techniques, serum tetanus antitoxin levels, distribution of anti-TT IgG subclasses and their binding avidities, respectively, were determined. Our findings showed that 5.1% of pregnant women and 36% of male blood donors had tetanus antitoxin levels below 0.1 IU/ml. In addition to the most dominant anti-TT IgGi antibody, anti-TT IgG2, anti-TT IgGs and anti-TT IgG4 subclass antibodies were also detected. In pregnant women, the avidities of anti-TT IgGi and anti-TT IgGs antibodies were found to be high, whereas avidity of anti-TT IgG4 antibody was found to be low. It is concluded that 5.1% of pregnant women and their newborns, and 36% of male blood donors were susceptible to tetanus. Low avidity anti-TT IgG4 antibodies might be less efficient in clearing tetanospasmin and can lead to ineffective protection against tetanus. Proper keeping of TT vaccination records and proper spaced intervals between doses are vitally important to identify individuals with inadequate TT vaccination as well as to avoid hyper-immunisation.en_US
dc.identifier.citationAboud, S. (2001). Immunity to tetanus in pregnant women and male blood donors in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/1715
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Dar es Salaamen_US
dc.subjectTetanus infectionen_US
dc.subjectImmunityen_US
dc.subjectPregnancyen_US
dc.subjectBlood donorsen_US
dc.subjectMaleen_US
dc.subjectDar es Salaamen_US
dc.subjectTanzaniaen_US
dc.titleImmunity to tetanus in pregnant women and male blood donors in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.en_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
Files
Collections
Masters Dissertations