Outbreaks of Rubella Indicate Epidemiological Shift in Age

The report on outbreak of rubella in Chandigarh by Madhanraj, et al. [1], exposes the inadequate disease surveillance mechanism for most communicable diseases in our country. Such outbreaks elicit knee-jerk reactions which are soon forgotten over a period of time. Diseases like rubella which are mild and self-limiting are likely to be missed in day-to-day practice. The only serious consequence is in the first trimester of pregnancy when the infection can lead to abortions and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS). Because of this serious complication, we need to beef up the surveillance for rubella in the community.