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Rubella embryopathy after previous maternal rubella vaccination

Rötelnembryopathie trotz früherer Impfung der Mutter gegen Röteln

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Summary

This report concerns a boy with congenital rubella infection and features of the classical and expanded rubella syndrome who was born to a mother who had been successfully vaccinated with Cendehill vaccine seven years previously. The diagnosis of rubella embryopathy was confirmed by demonstrating rubella-specific serum IgM antibodies using four different methods, by the persistence of rubella HAI and IgG antibodies in serum taken between three and eight months of age and by the isolation of rubella virus from throat secretion, urine and blood mononuclear cells. The child died at eight-and-a-half months of age. This case is discussed in relation to the persistence of vaccine-induced immunity with particular respect to the protective quality of low levels of antibodies against intrauterine infection in the event of re-infection during pregnancy.

Zusammenfassung

Der Bericht betrifft einen Knaben mit allen Symptomen einer klassischen und erweiterten Rötelnembryopathie, der 1982 von einer Mutter geboren wurde, die sieben Jahre früher mit dem Cendehill-Impfstoff erfolgreich gegen Röteln geimpft worden war. Die Diagnose wurde durch den Nachweis von rötelnspezifischen IgM-Antikörpern in vier IgM-Testarten und Persistenz der Röteln-HAH-und IgG-Antikörper in Blutproben, entnommen zwischen dem 3. und 8. Lebensmonat, sowie durch Nachweis von Rötelnvirus im Rachensekret, Urin und Lymphozyten gesichert. Das Kind verstarb im Alter von 8 1/2 Monaten. Der Fall wird in Relation zur Persistenz der durch Impfung induzierten Antikörper insbesondere auch zu dem Schutzwert der niederen Antikörpertiter gegenüber einer intrauterinen Infektion im Falle einer Reinfektion in der Schwangerschaft diskutiert.

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Enders, G., Calm, A. & Schaub, J. Rubella embryopathy after previous maternal rubella vaccination. Infection 12, 96–98 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01641680

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