Rubella and congenital rubella syndrome

Statutory notification

• Rubella and congenital rubella syndrome infection is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Alert: Cases must be reported urgently by telephone to the local public health units within a few hours of first suspicion of diagnosis.
• Case definition: See Rubella (external site) and Rubella (congenital) (external site) national surveillance case definitions. 
• Notification: Notify using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 214KB) or regional residents (PDF 213KB). For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health summary

• Infectious agent: Rubella virus.
• Transmission: Rubella is usually droplet spread through contact with nasopharyngeal secretions of infected people. Rubella can also be spread by touching the saliva or mucus of an infected person.
• Incubation period: From 14 to 17 days with a range of 14 to 21 days.
• Infectious period: For about 7 days before and at least 4 days after the rash appears.
• Case exclusion: Exclude for 4 days after the rash appears.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude. Refer pregnant contacts to their doctor.
• Treatment: No specific anti-viral treatment. Symptomatic treatment only.
• Immunisation: Recommended that children be vaccinated according to the Western Australian immunisation schedule. Anyone born in or after 1966 who is not immune to rubella should have 2 doses of rubella vaccine. This especially applies to women of child-bearing age, healthcare workers, and people working with children. See Australian Immunisation Handbook – Rubella (external site).
• Case follow up: Conducted by public health units
• Note: Females should routinely be tested for immunity to rubella before becoming pregnant, and during each pregnancy. Staff working in health related areas or with children should have evidence of MMR vaccine x 2 doses, or tested for immunity to disease.

Guidelines for public health units

• Western Australian immunisation schedule
• Australian Immunisation Handbook – Rubella (external site)
• Rubella – CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units
• Communicable Disease Guidelines for teachers, childcare workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners.

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• General infectious disease reports