Aspects of rubella infection in Brazil

The notification of rubella infections is not obligatory in Brazil. The epidemiologic data available are restricted to some urbanized areas like the state of Rio de Janeiro, where outbreaks of rubella were observed in 1968, 1974, and 1981 and minor increases in the number of notified cases occurred in 1975, 1977, and 1978. The highest morbidity rate registered in the state of Rio de Janeiro was 48.7 per 100,000 population in 1981. Serologic studies show that approximately 80% of the general population has antibody to rubella by the age of 20 years. For 1976-1983, it is estimated that a minimum of 30 cases of congenital rubella syndrome should have occurred in the state of Rio de Janeiro, but there is evidence that a greater number occurred and that the number was particularly high in the postepidemic periods. Although available commercially in Brazil, the rubella vaccine is not available through the governmental immunization program. Increase in use of rubella vaccine in Brazil should be considered for the future.