ABSTRACT
Rubella causes a mild viral illness in young children, but maternal rubella infection in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy may lead to fetal damage-up to 90% of pregnancies infected during the first 8-10 weeks are affected. Infants with the congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) are generally small for gestational age, with multiple congenital defects, including cataracts, retinopathy, deafness,
microcephaly, congenital heart defects and bony lesions. There may be isolated sensorineural deafness. Diagnosis of congenital rubella may be confirmed by virus isolation from urine or nasopharyngeal secretions, or by the persistence of rubella-specific IgM in the infant during the first 6 months of life. There is no specific treatment. Since the introduction of rubella immunization cases of CRS have fallen in number. Girls between 10 and 14 years should receive rubella vaccine if not previously vaccinated with MMR.
