Isolation of rubella virus from abortion material.

Rubella virus was isolated from the fetus or products of conception in 29 out of 32 cases (91%) terminated because of clinical maternal rubella proved or supported by laboratory findings in the first trimester of pregnancy. Virus was isolated from similar material from only 3 out of 19 (16%) other clinical cases of rubella in which the laboratory findings were inconclusive or against the diagnosis or in which no laboratory tests were done. Virus was found in the amniotic fluid if the fetus was infected and there was no evidence that the placenta was any real barrier to fetal infection.