Rubella vaccines: past, present and future

Abstract

The association between rubella in pregnancy and congenital anomalies was first reported 50 years ago, by N. McAlister Gregg, an Australian ophthalmologist [1]. During the next 20 years his findings were confirmed by others (reviewed in [2]). However, the first reports of the isolation of rubella virus in cell cultures and development of tests for neutralizing antibodies were not published until 1962 [3, 4]. Subsequent studies conducted in the UK and North America during a pandemic of rubella in 1963–4, were therefore able to make a more accurate estimate of the risks of maternal rubella at different stages of pregnancy. It was estimated that about 30000 rubella-damaged babies were born in the USA alone in 1963–4 [5]. This emphasized the importance of developing a vaccine to prevent infection in pregnancy and thereby, the birth of babies with rubella-induced congenital defects.

Increase in congenital rubella occurrence after immunisation in Greece: retrospective survey and systematic review How does herd immunity work?

“…Immunisation programmes to prevent congenital rubella syndrome were introduced in many countries soon after vaccines for rubella and measles, mumps, and rubella became available in 1969 and 1971 respectively 3. The immunisation of boys and girls aged 1 year (“indirect” strategy) aims to protect women of childbearing age from exposure to the rubella virus by interrupting its transmission 4 5.…”

Unseen blindness, unheard deafness, and unrecorded death and disability: congenital rubella in Kumasi, Ghana

“…In the 30 years since rubella vaccine was licensed, the World Health Organization (WHO) Expanded Programme on Immunization has not made a global recommendation regarding rubella vaccination. 20,21 Recent WHO recommendations encourage all countries not routinely immunizing against rubella to quantify the burden of disease due to congenital rubella syndrome and to consider universal rubella vaccination in children and ensuring immunity of women of childbearing age.…”

Impfungen in der Schwangerschaft

“…Für die meis ten Imp fungen wird nur eine theo re tisch mög li che Ge fähr dung an ge nom men. Bei spiels wei se konn ten bis her bei der Imp fung ge gen Rö-teln oder Wind po cken kei ne fe ta len Schä-di gun gen nach ge wie sen wer den [2,9,13,25,27]. Dies be züg lich soll te aber vom Arzt eine ent spre chen de Auf klä rung durch geführt wer den.…”