Prior to the introduction of vaccination, rubella was a very
common disease of childhood. In Australia, since the 1999 Measles
Control Campaign in which measles-mumps-rubella vaccine was administered
to primary school children, rubella has become a disease of young
adults, primarily of young men.
Some countries have added rubella to diseases for which transmission
can be interrupted. We have shown that for this to occur in Australia,
it would be necessary to implement a rubella vaccination campaign
aimed at young Australian men.
In 2002 immunity to rubella was found to
be:
|
|
Age group
(years)
in 2002
|
Rubella immunisation policy affecting
this age group
|
Rubella immunity
|
| |
|
| 1-5
|
MMR at 12 months |
|
|
| 6-16 |
MMR at 12 months
& MMR 4-5 years
|
90% |
95% |
| 17-22 |
Measles mumps at 12 months
MMR 10-16 years boys & girls
|
90% |
97% |
| 23-44 |
School girl (10-14 yrs)
rubella program
|
89% |
98% |
| >44 |
No routine rubella vaccine |
94% |
98% |
| |
|
|
|
