The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed this year's first case of immigrant congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in a two-month-old baby in northern Taiwan, whose mother is a new immigrant from China.
Congenital rubella syndrome can occur in the developing fetus of a woman who has contracted rubella, commonly known as German measles, during her first trimester. It can result in a wide range of illnesses in infants, including malformation of the brain and damage to major organs.
Taiwan has administered the MMR vaccine for immunization against measles, mumps and rubella since 1976 and has not seen any indigenous congenital rubella syndrome cases in recent years.
CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ting (林頂) said on Tuesday the baby had congenital cerebral defects, heart disease and cataracts as a result of the virus. The baby was born in January and the case was reported on March 17, he said.
Lin said that the mother recalled being diagnosed with measles, rather than rubella, by her doctor in China in the fifth week of her pregnancy, a week before she discovered she was pregnant.
The mother immigrated to Taiwan in August, during the 19th week of her pregnancy. She had her first pregnancy check-up in Taiwan the day after her arrival and was found to have the rubella antibody in her system, Lin said.
Rubella is generally a mild disease and usually passes unnoticed. However, it can be very dangerous for a baby if the mother is infected in the early stages of pregnancy, as there is a 90 percent chance the disease will be passed on to the fetus, Lin said.
There is a 25 percent chance of miscarriage or stillbirth for infected fetuses, as well as serious problems for those that are born alive, such as congenital heart disease, hearing problems, glaucoma, cataracts, microcephalia -- small-sized head -- or mental disability.
Since 2002 the Department of Health has required that foreign spouses submit documents proving they have been vaccinated or have the rubella antibody, but there is still a "blind spot" in management of the situation, Lin said. He called on women to confirm their vaccine records before getting pregnant.
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