Press Release

Be vigilant against congenital rubella infection

13 Feb 2012

A spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (February 13) said that immunisation with rubella vaccine is the most effective way in preventing rubella infection. He urged women of child-bearing age to consult doctors to check for immunity against rubella and need for rubella vaccination before getting pregnant.

The appeal followed two cases of congenital rubella infection in Hong Kong affecting newborn babies born to mothers who were mainland residents.

The first case was a male infant delivered at full term in a private hospital in Hong Kong on January 7. He had pneumonia, heart defect and other organ abnormalities at birth and was transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital on January 13. His serum was tested positive for rubella IgM and urine sample tested positive for rubella virus. His condition was stable and has been discharged on February 1.

His mother was a mainland resident admitted to the above private hospital on January 6 for delivery. She had antenatal check-up in both Hong Kong and Mainland and no symptoms of rubella during the antenatal period. Her antenatal blood test done in Hong Kong in October 2011 at about 28 weeks pregnancy was rubella antibody positive, meaning that she had immunity against rubella or had previous rubella infection. The mother was not sure whether she had received rubella vaccination before.

The second case was a female infant delivered on February 5 in Hong Kong. She was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital and was found to have heart and brain abnormalities. She was transferred to Queen Mary Hospital on February 8. Her serum was tested positive for rubella IgM and urine sample tested positive for rubella virus. Her current condition was stable.

Her mother was a mainland resident who had antenatal check-up in Hong Kong and Mainland. This was her third pregnancy. The mother had not received rubella vaccination before and was not sure about her previous rubella infection status. She did not have symptoms of rubella during the antenatal period. Further investigations are being carried out on the antenatal history of this pregnancy and her previous two pregnancies.

The spokesman explained that rubella infection, also known as "German Measles", is a highly infectious disease caused by rubella virus. In susceptible pregnant women, rubella infection may cause anomalies in the developing fetus, known as congenital rubella syndrome. Congenital rubella syndrome is characterised by deafness, eye lesions, heart malformations and mental retardation. It mainly occurs in infants born to women who got infected during the first three months of pregnancy.

"Immunisation with rubella is the most effective way to prevent the disease. Non-immune individuals are advised to consult their doctors for rubella vaccine, usually given together with measles and mumps vaccines. Women of child-bearing age planning to get pregnant should consult doctors to check for rubella immune status and need for rubella vaccination," the spokesman said.

"Women who are tested negative for rubella antibody may approach their family doctors for advice and vaccination.

"Women attending for antenatal care who are unaware of their immune status should be tested for rubella antibodies and if negative, be vaccinated immediately post partum." he said.

In Hong Kong, routine rubella vaccination was provided to all girls at primary six since 1978 and given together with measles and mumps vaccines (MMR) to all children at one year old since 1990 and a routine second dose of MMR at primary one was introduced at 1996. The coverage of MMR vaccination in Hong Kong is over 95% at primary one.

The CHP has also issued letters to doctors bringing the two cases to their attention and providing appropriate advice in managing patients.