Congenital rubella syndrome in Western Australia

Abstract

Abstract The birth prevalence of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in Western Australia has been around 20 per 10 000 live births with peaks up to 100 per 10 000 in rubella epidemic years. The rate appears to be falling but it is still too soon to know whether the rubella vaccination programme in Western Australia has made a significant impact. The cohorts of young women who would have received the schoolgirl vaccination programme are only now entering the child bearing age groups. Observed falls may be due also to delayed diagnosis particularly of cases of deafness only. The proportion of nonimmune young women who would have been eligible for the programme in one maternity hospital has fall..