Rubella is no longer a major public health threat.(News)

Rubella virus is no longer a major public health threat in this country, but U.S. clinicians should remain vigilant in their vaccination efforts, according to Julie Gerberding, M.D., director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2004, there were only nine cases of rubella reported in the United States. These were in mothers who were infected in their respective countries of origin and who then brought the virus to the United States and in children born to families from other parts of the world, she explained during a media advisory on rubella sponsored by the CDC in Atlanta.

"This is a major milestone in the path toward eliminating rubella in other parts of the world, including the Western hemisphere and other regions that have committed [to] this very important health goal," Dr. Gerberding noted.

Despite the achievement, she advised clinicians in the United States and elsewhere to remain vigilant about vaccinating children. "Because we are at constant risk for reintroduction of the virus from other parts of the world, we cannot afford to relax our emphasis on immunization now," she remarked. "This is exactly the time when we need to strengthen our emphasis on immunization even further."

Vaccination is also recommended for adolescents and adults without documented evidence of immunity--especially expectant mothers.

Thirty years ago, a rubella epidemic in the United States caused an estimated 12.5 million cases of rubella and 20,000 cases of congenital rubella syndrome, which caused thousands of fetal deaths and left scores more babies deaf, blind, and mentally challenged.

The incidence of rubella in the United States declined sharply after the rubella vaccine was licensed in 1969. By 1983, fewer than 1,000 cases were reported per year, and 2001 was the first year in which fewer than 100 cases were reported.