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Comparative Study
. 2013 Mar;9(3):642-8.
doi: 10.4161/hv.23260. Epub 2013 Jan 8.

Results of the rubella elimination program in Catalonia (Spain), 2002-2011

Irene Barrabeig  1 , Nuria Torner, Ana Martínez, Gloria Carmona, Pilar Ciruela, Joan Batalla, Josep Costa, Sergi Hernández, Luis Salleras, Angela Domínguez; Rubella Surveillance Group of Catalonia
Collaborators, Affiliations
Comparative Study

Results of the rubella elimination program in Catalonia (Spain), 2002-2011

Irene Barrabeig et al. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2013 Mar.

Abstract

Rubella is usually a mild disease with nonspecific symptoms, but can cause congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) when infection occurs during pregnancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and positive predictive value of different data sources used for surveillance purposes in the Rubella Elimination Program of Catalonia between 2002 and 2011. The Urgent Notification to the Statutory Disease Reporting System, the Individualized Disease Reporting System, screening for other viruses included in the Measles Elimination Program, the Microbiological Reporting System and the Minimum Hospital Discharge Data were evaluated. 100 suspected cases of postnatal rubella and 6 suspected cases of CRS were detected. For postnatal rubella, Urgent Notification had the highest sensitivity (32.5%; 95%CI 18.6-49.1), followed by the Virus screening in Measles Elimination Program (25%; 95%CI 12.7-41.2). Virus screening in the Measles Elimination Program had the highest PPV (76.9%; 95%CI 46.1-94.9), followed by the Individualized Disease Reporting System (57.1%; 95%CI 28.9-82.3). For CRS cases, the Individualized Disease Reporting System had the highest sensitivity (100%, 95%CI 29.2-100) and the highest PPV (60%; 95%CI 14.7-100). Most confirmed postnatal cases (25 cases, 48.1%) were in the 25-44 y age group followed by the 15-24 y age group (11 cases, 21.2%). The highest values of sensitivity and PPV for the detection of confirmed cases corresponded to activities that were specifically introduced in the measles and rubella elimination programs.

Keywords: MMR vaccination; measles elimination; positive predictive value; rubella elimination; sensitivity; surveillance.

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Figures

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Figure 1. Reported cases of postnatal rubella and congenital rubella syndrome. Catalonia, 2002–2011. *Diagnosis was Streptococcus agalactiae infection. **Diagnosis was cytomegalovirus infection. ***IgM and RT-PCR for rubella virus were negative; unknown etiology
None
Figure 2. Evolution of reported cases of postnatal rubella. Catalonia, 2002- 2011
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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