Progress Toward Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Elimination - Worldwide, 2012-2022.

Rubella virus is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable birth defects. Infection during pregnancy can result in miscarriage, fetal death, stillbirth, or a constellation of birth defects, including cataracts, deafness, heart defects, and developmental delay, known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). A single dose of rubella-containing vaccine can provide lifelong protection against rubella.

Feasibility of measles and rubella vaccination programmes for disease elimination: a modelling study.

Background: Marked reductions in the incidence of measles and rubella have been observed since the widespread use of the measles and rubella vaccines. Although no global goal for measles eradication has been established, all six WHO regions have set measles elimination targets. However, a gap remains between current control levels and elimination targets, as shown by large measles outbreaks between 2017 and 2019.

Progress Toward Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Control and Elimination - Worldwide, 2012-2020.

Rubella virus is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable birth defects and can cause epidemics. Although rubella virus infection usually produces a mild febrile rash illness in children and adults, infection during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, can result in miscarriage, fetal death, stillbirth, or an infant born with a constellation of birth defects known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). A single dose of rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) can provide lifelong protection against rubella (1).

How Australia's measles control activities have catalyzed rubella elimination.

Background: By 2017, rubella had been officially eliminated in Australia. This success was attributed to Australia's longstanding national immunization programme and two enhanced measles immunization activities using measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines - the Measles Control Campaign (MCC) and the Young Adult MMR Campaign (YAC). Our study describes the impact of these activities on rubella incidence, and its elimination in Australia.

Progress Toward Rubella Elimination - Western Pacific Region, 2000-2019.

Rubella is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects. Rubella typically manifests as a mild febrile rash illness; however, infection during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester, can result in miscarriage, fetal death, or a constellation of malformations known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), commonly including one or more visual, auditory, or cardiac defects (1). In 2012, the Regional Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region (WPR)* committed to accelerate rubella control, and in 2017, resolved that all countries or areas (countries) in WPR should aim for rubella elimination as soon as possible (2,3).

Combining serological and contact data to derive target immunity levels for achieving and maintaining measles elimination.

Background: Vaccination has reduced the global incidence of measles to the lowest rates in history. However, local interruption of measles virus transmission requires sustained high levels of population immunity that can be challenging to achieve and maintain. The herd immunity threshold for measles is typically stipulated at 90-95%.

Evaluating the role of cough duration in the pertussis case definition among Michigan cases, 2000-2010.

Impressive reductions in pertussis have been achieved in the U.S. during the 20th century through childhood vaccination.

Progress in Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Control and Elimination - Worldwide, 2000-2016.

Although rubella virus infection usually causes a mild fever and rash illness in children and adults, infection during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, can result in miscarriage, fetal death, stillbirth, or infants with a constellation of congenital malformations known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) (1). Rubella is a leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects. Preventing these adverse pregnancy outcomes is the focus of rubella vaccination programs.

The impact of healthcare visit timing on reported pertussis cough duration: Selection bias and disease pattern from reported cases in Michigan, USA, 2000-2010.

Background: Pertussis is a potentially serious respiratory illness characterized by cough of exceptionally long duration of up to approximately100 days. While macrolide antibiotics are an effective treatment, there is an ongoing debate whether they also shorten the length of cough symptoms. We investigated whether public health surveillance data for pertussis, in which cases are identified at diagnosis, are potentially affected by selection bias and the possible consequences for reported cough duration.

The influence of knowledge, perceptions, and beliefs, on hand hygiene practices in nursing homes.

There are few studies that have assessed factors influencing infection control practices among health care workers (HCW) in nursing homes. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of HCWs (N = 392) in 4 nursing homes to assess whether knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions influence reported hand hygiene habits. Positive perceptions and beliefs regarding effectiveness of infection control in nursing homes were associated with reported appropriate glove use and fingernail characteristics, respectively, among HCWs.