title: Rubella elimination programme strengthened through measles elimination programme in Catalonia.
abstract: The drastic fall in rubella cases recorded in Catalonia from 1988 on, when the second dose of Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine was implemented, and especially from 1998, when the measles elimination programme began, led to the introduction, in May 2002, of the rubella and congenital rubella syndrome elimination by 2005 programme. From May 2002 to May 2004, 13 suspected rubella cases were reported to the Statutory Disease Reporting System; of these, one postnatal case and one congenital rubella case were confirmed (15.4%), both being imported cases. Through the screening of viruses established in the measles elimination programme, 28 possible cases were analyzed and six (21.4%) confirmed imported postnatal rubella cases were detected. The small number and imported nature of the cases of rubella and the detection of the majority of the confirmed cases through the measles elimination programme, strongly suggests that both programmes should continue.
authors.affiliation: Direccio General de Salut Publica Health, Department of Health, Generalitat of Catalonia, Spain. angela.dominguez@gencat.net
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Torner
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Plans
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ciruela
authors.forename: Lluís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salleras
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012409:Rubella / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine