On October 3, 2017, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced 1 new case of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) since 2008. The case is a baby girl who is less than 1 year old and resides in central Taiwan. The case’s mother is originally from China. Besides undergoing one prenatal check-up in Taiwan last June at 12 weeks pregnant, she had most of her prenatal examinations conducted at a hospital in China. When she visited Taiwan again in December 2016, she delivered the baby at the end of the month. At that time, the baby’s weight, height and head circumference are all within the normal range. However, subsequent tests found hearing impairment and cataract in the baby. After further examination, the baby was diagnosed with congenital rubella syndrome.

Although the case’s mother has no history of specific conditions, the mother’s vaccination history is unknown. Further, she was tested positive for rubella antibodies during her prenatal check-up conducted in Taiwan last June. Therefore, it is determined that she acquired rubella during early pregnancy.

According to the surveillance data compiled by Taiwan CDC, during 2001 and 2017, a cumulative total of 6 CRS cases, including 4 girls and 2 boys. Among the cases, 2 cases are indigenous, 3 are imported from Vietnam, Indonesia and China, and 1 case’s source of infection is unknown. Further, 2 cases passed away. As MMR vaccines have become more available, affordable and accessible to all, the number of rubella cases has drastically decreased and the occurrence of CRS case has become rare in Taiwan.

If a pregnant woman who has no rubella antibodies becomes infected with rubella during early pregnancy, there is a chance she will pass the infection to her unborn child and a chance that the child will develop congenital rubella syndrome, resulting in fetal death, miscarriage or birth defects such as deafness, glaucoma, cataract, microcephaly, intellectual disability, heart disease and even death. Hence, women of child-bearing age who are tested negative for rubella antibody during the pre-marital medical examination can receive a free dose of MMR vaccine when presenting the negative rubella antibody result at the local health station or a contracted hospital.　

Parents are urged to avoid bringing unvaccinated children to the affected areas in order to prevent infection. If travel to affected areas with children at the age of 6-12 months is unavoidable, please bring the children to the local health bureau or contracted healthcare provider for one dose of self-paid MMR vaccination at least 2 weeks prior to their trip.　　For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).