Brief report: Imported case of congenital rubella syndrome--New Hampshire, 2005

In 2004, an independent panel convened by CDC declared rubella no longer endemic in the United States. Nine cases of rubella were reported in 2004, and four cases of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) were reported during 2001-2004. However, worldwide, an estimated 100,000 infants are born with CRS annually. This report describes a case of imported CRS diagnosed in an infant girl aged 10 weeks born in New Hampshire to Liberian refugee parents. To prevent transmission of rubella, clinicians should consider a diagnosis of CRS in infants with compatible clinical signs, particularly those born to mothers who recently immigrated from countries without rubella control programs, and rubella vaccine should be administered to susceptible persons.