Rubella is a mild febrile rash illness caused by rubella virus. It is transmitted from person to person via droplets (the virus is present in throat secretions). It affects mainly, but not only, children and when pregnant women are infected, it may result in malformation of the foetus. Humans are the only reservoir of infection.
The generic protocol presented in this document was developed for ECDC by fellows of the EPIET programme to provide EU/EEA Member States with an adaptable tool to estimate the incidence of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) cases in their countries.
Rubella is a viral infection transmitted from person to person by droplets via coughs and sneezes. In healthy individuals it is usually a mild disease. Up to 50 % of individuals infected with rubella may not show symptoms. However, if a woman gets rubella shortly before getting pregnant or during the first three months of pregnancy, it is very likely to result in miscarriage or congenital anomalies known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).
The goal of this project is to support EU Member States in their fight against measles and rubella. This report should enable Member States to engage in effective, evidence-based risk communication.
Congenital rubella is the infection of a foetus with rubella virus following the infection of the mother during pregnancy. ‘Congenital’ indicates that the foetus also becomes infected during pregnancy.