Progress toward control of rubella and prevention of congenital rubella syndrome --- worldwide, 2009.

Rubella usually is a mild, febrile rash illness in children and adults; however, infection early in a woman's pregnancy, particularly during the first 16 weeks, can result in miscarriage, fetal death, or an infant born with birth defects (i.e., congenital rubella syndrome [CRS]). In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the first rubella vaccine position paper to guide introduction of rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) in national childhood immunization schedules. As of December 2009, a total of 130 WHO member states have introduced RCV, a 57% increase from 83 member states in 1996. In addition, goals to eliminate rubella and CRS have been established in the WHO Region of the Americas (by 2010) and the WHO European Region (by 2015), and the WHO Western Pacific Region has established targets for accelerated rubella control and CRS prevention by 2015. During 2009, a total of 121,344 rubella cases were reported from 167 member states to WHO, an 82% decrease from 670,894 cases reported in 2000 from 102 member states. This report summarizes reported rubella and CRS cases globally and progress toward global introduction and use of RCV.