OBJECTIVEThis paper analyzed the epidemiological characteristics of rubella in Shanghai from 1990 to 2006.

METHODSDescriptive epidemiological study was applied to analyze the cases from infectious diseases reported system on rubella during 1990-2006 in Shanghai. Excel was used for data analysis.

RESULTSThe reported rubella incidence rate in Shanghai was 0.15-451.57 per 100,000 during the period from 1990 to 2006. A rubella epidemic happened in 1993, with the number of reported cases as 58,104. The year 1998 was the low year on rubella with only 19 reported cases. In the years without rubella vaccine (RV), that was, from 1990 to 1994, the annual reported incidence rate of rubella was 93 per 100,000, and there was a distinct characteristic of seasonal difference, with peak in march through June each year. Rubella cases mostly affected children aged 5-9 and adolescent of 10-14 years old. Since the wide use of RV in Shanghai since 1995, RV and measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) had been widely accepted by parents. The vaccination rate of MMR reached up to 85 percent. The incidence of rubella was descending as year went by. The annual reported cases were less than 100 since then (with exception in the year 1995). Local outbreaks were further reduced and the age group structure had also changed since the adoption of RV. Patients with RV fallen into the age group of 0-4 were increasing quickly, accounting for 21.00% percent of all the patients and the age become older. 31.62% of the patients fell into 20 years of age and above. During 1995-2006, the incidence rates of rubella in age 25-29 and 30-34 were both much higher than that in the year without vaccine.

CONCLUSIONThe trend of older age among patients wilt Rubella increased the risk on fertile woman and geting congenital rebella syndrome.