Confirmed congenital rubella syndrome--A case report

Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) is defined clinically as an illness usually manifesting in infancy, resulting from rubella infection in utero with certain specific signs and symptoms. Confirmed CRS is a clinically consistent case which is laboratory confirmed. A report of a 3 month old male diagnosed with confirmed congenital rubella is here presented on account of its rarity and easy prevention with vaccination.

The case notes of 3 month old male admitted with features consistent with CRS and managed for overwhelming septicaemia with heart failure and encephalitis and review of literature on the subject using manual library and Medline search.

The infant's Rubella-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody demonstrated positive and the rubella antibody level was high at 11.6 IU/ml.

This is the first report of confirmed CRS in our centre. Though few cases are seen, the effects and defects on the child are severe and irreversible thus, vaccination with Measles-mump-rubella (MMR) vaccine is recommended as part of the National Programme on Immunization and for all females of child bearing age, who did not receive it in childhood.