Objective: To analyze the changing of age patterns among rubella patients after implementing rubella vaccine immunization to children in Shandong province since 1995.
Methods: Epidemiologic data on rubella through surveillance system for suspected measles from 1999 to 2004 and data on rubella vaccination were used and analyzed.
Results: The annual average incidence rate of rubella from 1999 to 2004 had been 0.59 per 100 thousands population while 81.17% of cases were concentrated during the outbreaks. 77.77% of the cases were school children between 7-15 years old and 7.93% of the cases were under 7 years old. The age-median of cases were 10.37, 11.66, 11.41, 12.81, 14.28 and 13.96 years old from 1999 to 2004, respectively. The estimated coverage of rubella vaccine for pre-school children was about 60% but only 20% were for school children.
Conclusion: The peak age of cases moved from youth towards adolescence which indicated that women with child-bearing age might have been under risk of developing the congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). It is necessary to carry out screening test of rubella antibody and vaccination to women with child-bearing age and the immunization strategy should be established to guide the control of rubella and CRS.