Outbreak of Rubella Among Cadets in an Academy.

BACKGROUND

Rubella is traditionally considered a childhood disease, but has the potential to cause outbreaks in closed community of young adults. The present paper describes one such outbreak in a military training establishment.

METHOD: The cases of rubella outbreak were identified by clinical features (fever, rash and lymphadenopathy) and confirmed by detection of high titre of anti-rubella IgM antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Initial serum samples were also tested for antibodies against measles, scrub typhus and dengue. Salient epidemiological features of the outbreak were studied.

RESULT: 163 cadets were admitted in the local military hospital within two months. The cases presented with fever, coryza, lymphadenopathy and maculopapular rash. 117 (71.78%) of the samples showed presence of anti-rubella IgM antibodies.

CONCLUSION

Rubella outbreaks in military communities have the potential to adversely affect military training/operations. The need for administration of vaccination against rubella in such population may be reviewed.