Abstract
In accordance with the goal of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the Italian national measles and rubella elimination plan aims to reduce the incidence of congenital rubella cases to less than one case per 100,000 live births by the end of 2015. We report national surveillance data for congenital rubella and rubella in pregnancy from 2005 to 2013. A total of 75 congenital rubella infections were reported; the national annual mean incidence was 1.5/100,000 live births, including probable and confirmed cases according to European Union case definition. Two peaks occurred in 2008 and 2012 (5.0 and 3.6/100,000 respectively). Overall, 160 rubella infections in pregnancy were reported; 69/148 women were multiparous and 38/126 had had a rubella antibody test before pregnancy. Among reported cases, there were 62 infected newborns, 31 voluntary abortions, one stillbirth and one spontaneous abortion. A total of 24 newborns were unclassified and 14 women were lost to follow-up, so underestimation is likely. To improve follow-up of cases, systematic procedures for monitoring infected mothers and children were introduced in 2013. To prevent congenital rubella, antibody screening before pregnancy and vaccination of susceptible women, including post-partum and post-abortum vaccination, should be promoted. Population coverage of two doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccination of ≥ 95% should be maintained and knowledge of health professionals improved.
Highlights
Rubella is an acute contagious viral illness; if contracted early in pregnancy, it can spread from the mother to her developing baby and result in miscarriage, stillbirth or severe birth defects including deafness, blindness, cataracts, heart defects and mental retardation
Congenital rubella prevention relies on maintaining high levels of immunity (≥ 95%) in the general population and on identifying and immunising susceptible women of childbearing age. This strategy allowed the elimination of rubella in the World Health Organization (WHO) Region of the Americas, where the last confirmed cases of endemic rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) were reported in 2009 [4]
We received an additional 59 reports of suspected cases who could not be classified because the available information was insufficient
Summary
Rubella is an acute contagious viral illness; if contracted early in pregnancy, it can spread from the mother to her developing baby and result in miscarriage, stillbirth or severe birth defects including deafness, blindness, cataracts, heart defects and mental retardation (congenital rubella). The risk of fetal malformation varies according to the time of onset of maternal infection and is estimated to be 90% for infants born to women infected within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy [1]. Rubella infection can be prevented by a safe and effective vaccine and the main aim of rubella control programmes is to prevent infection in pregnant women. Congenital rubella prevention relies on maintaining high levels of immunity (≥ 95%) in the general population and on identifying and immunising susceptible women of childbearing age. This strategy allowed the elimination of rubella in the WHO Region of the Americas, where the last confirmed cases of endemic rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) were reported in 2009 [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
