Rubella in the Russian Federation: epidemiological features and control measures to prevent the congenital rubella syndrome

Abstract

A review of the epidemiology of clinical rubella in the Perm region of the Russian Federation from 1979-97 showed that the incidence was about 220 cases per 100,000 population. Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) accounted for 15% of birth defects and for about 3.5 cases of CRS per 1000 live births per year. Surveys of the seroepidemiology of rubella infection revealed that the susceptibility rate among pregnant women (i.e. rubella virus antibody haemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) assay titres < 10) was 16.5%. As serum rubella antibody HAI titres > or = 10 both prevented infection in pregnant women and protected their foetuses, serological testing has been introduced into the routine antenatal services. Pre-existing rubella antibodies were found not to interfere with the immune response to vaccination, so selective immunization was provided to girls approaching puberty and to women of childbearing age. A programme of epidemiological surveillance is being developed to define tactics for the widescale introduction of rubella vaccination.

Mortality Associated With Pulmonary Hypertension in Congenital Rubella Syndrome

“…The incidence in Nha Trang City was 3.0 per 1000 live births, which we assumed to be more accurate. The number of CRS cases in this study was comparable to the findings of previous epidemic reports from Oman, Ghana, Panama, and Russia (0.7, 0.8, 2.2, and 3.5 per 1000 live births during epidemics, respectively), 21,[24][25][26] and a CRS incidence of 2.3 (95% CI, 2.1-2.6) cases per 1000 live births in Vietnam estimated by modeling. 6 Unfortunately, hemodynamic status in each patient was not precisely recorded.…”

Investigation of a Rubella Outbreak in Kyrgyzstan in 2001: Implications for an Integrated Approach to Measles Elimination and Prevention of Congenital Rubella Syndrome

“…A retrospective epidemiologic analysis of the incidence of rubella during 1979-1997 in Perm [10], a large industrial region of the western Urals in the former Soviet Union, described a shorter interepidemic period (2-3 years) than that observed in Kyrgyzstan (3-5 years). The low incidence of rubella during 1993-1995 is probably an artifact due to lack of reporting after the break-up of the Soviet Union.…”

“…Several studies have documented the epidemiology of rubella [7,8,10,16] and CRS [17][18][19] in different areas of the former Soviet Union. A retrospective epidemiologic analysis of the incidence of rubella during 1979-1997 in Perm [10], a large industrial region of the western Urals in the former Soviet Union, described a shorter interepidemic period (2-3 years) than that observed in Kyrgyzstan (3-5 years).…”

“…For the last two decades, rubella has been a reportable disease in the former Soviet Union, and 150,000-500,000 rubella case-patients are reported annually [7,8]. Although surveillance for CRS was not done, the occurrence of CRS was documented in the former Soviet Union following epidemics in the 1970s [9] and in the 1990s [10].…”

Phosphorylation of Rubella Virus Capsid Regulates Its RNA Binding Activity and Virus Replication

“…The virus is highly teratogenic and causes devastating malformations in human fetuses when in utero infection occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy. Although congenital rubella syndrome is rare in western countries, it remains endemic in the developing world and parts of Eastern Europe (14,40). Despite its medical importance and the widespread use of live RV vaccines, most aspects of virus replication and pathogenesis remain poorly understood.…”