INTRODUCTION: No surveillance system or survey data on the congenital rubella syndrome are available in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This article describes the incidence of primary rubella infection between 2010 and 2012 based on the measles case-based surveillance system in Kinshasa. METHODS: Suspected cases of measles notified in Kinshasa between 2010 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: From January 2010 to December 2012, 1,892 suspected cases of measles were reported, and 1013 serum samples were collected according to the surveillance standard and analyzed in the laboratory. There were more cases of confirmed rubella than measles among the investigated cases. The proportion of confirmed cases of rubella has increased significantly over the last 3 years. The proportion of affected individuals of childbearing age was 15.4%, with a female predominance in this age-group. CONCLUSION: The Democratic Republic of Congo should consider revising the definition of cases used in the measles surveillance system in order to take into account the incidence of measle, establish sentinel sites for surveillance of CRS and use measles eradication activities and other mass activities to introduce rubella vaccination.
INTRODUCTION: No surveillance system or survey data on the congenital rubella syndrome are available in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This article describes the incidence of primary rubella infection between 2010 and 2012 based on the measles case-based surveillance system in Kinshasa. METHODS: Suspected cases of measles notified in Kinshasa between 2010 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: From January 2010 to December 2012, 1,892 suspected cases of measles were reported, and 1013 serum samples were collected according to the surveillance standard and analyzed in the laboratory. There were more cases of confirmed rubella than measles among the investigated cases. The proportion of confirmed cases of rubella has increased significantly over the last 3 years. The proportion of affected individuals of childbearing age was 15.4%, with a female predominance in this age-group. CONCLUSION: The Democratic Republic of Congo should consider revising the definition of cases used in the measles surveillance system in order to take into account the incidence of measle, establish sentinel sites for surveillance of CRS and use measles eradication activities and other mass activities to introduce rubella vaccination.