A cluster of rubella in Malta, December 2007 - January 2008

A cluster of rubella has been identified by the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit (IDCU) of Malta in the beginning of January 2008. Two men and a woman aged between 23 and 28 years were affected. The index case had onset of illness on 23 December 2007. The second case had onset of rash on 3 January and the third case displayed symptoms on 6 January 2008. Two of the three cases were laboratory-confirmed (IgM positive), the third displayed typical symptoms and was a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case but was IgM and IgG negative. None of the affected patients had received vaccination against rubella and there was no history of recent travel abroad. All three cases were linked through a work place. Blood samples were submitted to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Reference Laboratory for Measles and Rubella, Luxembourg, for further investigations. None of the cases had any complications. To date no further cases have been identified.