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.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature
Gitmans, U., Enders, G., Glück, H., Lindemann, L. Rötelnschutzimpfung mit HPV77DE5- und RA 27/3-Impfstoffen von 11–16 Jahre alten Mädchen: Untersuchungen zur Antikörperentwicklung und Antikörperpersistenz nach 4 und 8 Jahren. Immun. Infekt. 11 (1983) 78–80.
Enders, G., Pacher, U., Knotek, F., Schüle, C.: Comparison of various serological methods and diagnostic kits for the assessment of acute, recent and previous rubella infection and vaccine-induced immunity. (submitted for publication).
Chantler, J. K., Tingle, A. J. Isolation of rubella virus from human lymphocytes after acute natural infection. J. Infect. Dis. 145 (1982) 673–677.
MacDonald, H., Tobin, J. O'H., Cradock-Watson, J. E., Lomax, J. Antibody titer in women six to eight years after the administration of RA 27/3 and Cendehill rubella vaccines. J. Hyg. 80 (1978) 337–346.
Hillary, J. B., Griffith, A. H. Persistence of antibody 10 years after vaccination with Wistar RA 27/3 strain live-attenuated rubella vaccine. Br. Med. J. 280 (1980) 1580–1581.
Zealley, H., Edmond, E. Rubella screening and immunization of school girls: results six to seven years after vaccination. Br. Med. J. 284 (1982) 382–284.
O'Shea, S., Best, J. M., Banatvala, J. E., Marshall, W. C., Dudgeon, J. A. Rubella vaccination: persistence of antibodies for up to 16 years. Br. Med. J. 285 (1982) 253–255.
Enders, G., Greeck, A., Schüle, C., Uotila, S. Stand der Rötelnschutzimpfung in der BRD 1983 und die Seroepidemiologie der Röteln bei Frauen im gebärfähigen Alter. Münch. Med. Wochenschr., 126 (1984) 141–146.
Horstmann, D. M., Liebhaber, H., Le Bouvier, G. L., Rosenberg, D. A., Halstead, S. B. Rubella re-infection of vaccinated and naturally immune persons exposed in an epidemic. N. Engl. J. Med. 283 (1970) 771.
Cradock-Watson, J. E., Ridehalgh, M. K. S., Anderson, M. J., Pattison, J. R. Outcome of asymptomatic infection with rubella virus during pregnancy. J. Hyg. (Camb.) 187 (1981) 147–154.
Forsgren, M., Carlström, G., Strangert, K. Congenital rubella after maternal re-infection. Scand. J. Infect. Dis. 11 (1979) 81–83.
Eilard, T., Strannegård, O. Rubella infections in pregnancy followed by transmission to the fetus. J. Infect. Dis. 129 (1974) 594–596.
Bott, L. M., Eizenberg, D. H. Congenital rubella after successful vaccination. Med. J. Aust. 1 (1982) 514–515.
Partridge, J. W., Flewett, T. H., Whitehead, J. E. M. Congenital rubella affecting an infant whose mother had rubella antibodies before conception. Br. Med. J. 282 (1981) 187–188.
Morgan-Capner, P., Burgess, C., Ireland, R. M., Sharp, J. C. Clinically apparent rubella re-infection with detectable rubella-specific IgM response. Br. Med. J. 286 (1983) 1616.
Strannegård, O., Holm, S. E., Hermodsson, S., Norrby, R., Lycke, E. Case of apparent re-infection with rubella. Lancet I (1970) 240–241.
Wilkins, J., Leedom, J. M., Salvatore, M. A., Portnoy, B. Clinical rubella with arthritis resulting from reinfection. Ann. Int. Med. 77 (1972) 930–932.
Forest, J. M., Menser, M. J. Failure of rubella vaccination to prevent congenital rubella. Med. J. Aust. B (1977) 77.
Enders, G.: Rubella infections. Medical Laboratory, Medical Diagnostics E. v. Behring, in print.
Enders, G.: Virusdiagnostische Befunde und ihre Interpretation: Röteln. In:Spiess, H. (ed.): Virusdiagnostik für Klinik und Praxis. DVV/Deutsches Grünes Kreuz München, 1979, pp. 82–100.
Balfour, H. H., Groth, K. E., Edelman, CK., Amren, D. P., Best, J. M., Banatvala, J. E. Rubella viraemia and antibody responses after rubella vaccination and reimmunisation. Lancet I (1981) 1078–1079.
O'Shea, S., Best, J. M., Banatvala, J. E.: Rubella viremia, virus excretion and antibody responses in volunteers with low levels of rubella antibody following challenge. J. Infect. Dis., in print.
Banatvala, J. E., Best, J. M., O'Shea, S. Strategy for rubella vaccination. Lancet I (1983) 251.
Miller, E., Pollock, T. M. Strategy for rubella vaccination. Lancet I (1983) 535.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Enders, G., Calm, A. & Schaub, J. Rubella embryopathy after previous maternal rubella vaccination. Infection 12, 96–98 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01641680
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01641680