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Published Date: 2013-06-19 12:44:43
Subject: PRO/EDR> Rubella - Japan (10): ongoing epidemic
Archive Number: 20130619.1781691

RUBELLA - JAPAN (10): ONGOING EPIDEMIC
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Date: Tue 18 Jun 2013
Source: Japanese Daily Press (JDP) [edited]
http://japandailypress.com/over-10000-cases-of-rubella-recorded-so-far-in-japan-this-year-1830810


The National Institute of Infectious Diseases reported Tuesday [19 Jun 2013] that as of 9 Jun 2013, there were 10 102 cases of rubella in Japan, 4 times higher than last year's [2012] 2392 cases. The Institute reported last month [May 2013] that 5000 cases were recorded in the 1st 4 months of 2013. That implies that the past 2 months have easily doubled the number of cases.

The latest week's cases were highest in Osaka and Tokyo Prefectures with 129 and 82 new cases, respectively. Mapping the spread of the virus may no longer be based on prefecture proximity, as both prefectures are separated by the Chubu Region, or central Japan. With about 800 cases every 7 days during the earlier weeks, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases should have reckoned its effect with such escalating cases. The epidemic has been more prevalent among men from 20 to 40 years old, amounting to 75 percent of the cases.

Also known as German measles or 3-day measles, rubella is considered a mild infection except for those who are pregnant. The virus, when caught by someone pregnant, may cause severe congenital complications like growth and mental retardation, deafness, and heart defects among others. Rubella may also cause stillbirths. The symptoms of rubella are not easily noticed and may be mistaken as those of flu, so pregnant women are always told to take precautions especially during the 1st trimester of pregnancy.

A call for the government to fund anti-rubella vaccine has been raised. However, Norihisa Tamura of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare said that Japan's rubella cases, the 10 000 cases as of June 2013, are "not overwhelmingly larger" compared to other infectious diseases. Adults, especially those with immunization, may be able to survive the virus but given that the symptoms of rubella are similar to those of other communicable diseases, pregnant women and small children are likely to be at risk. Something as simple as MMR [measles, mumps, and rubella] vaccine will be helpful to Japan's small and unborn children. It may even help preserve the country's future population.

[Byline: Faith Aquino]

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Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Kunihiko Iizuka

[In 1976, Japan introduced single-antigen rubella vaccine in its national immunization program, targeting girls in junior high school. In 1989, a measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine was introduced, targeting children aged 12-72 months. However, adult males remain susceptible to rubella. It was reported in the previous ProMED-mail report that between 1 Jan 2013 and 1 May 2013, a total of 5442 rubella cases had been recorded throughout Japan, with the majority (77 percent) of cases occurring among adult males.

Also a total of 10 infants with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) were reported from October 2012 to [1 May 2013]. Of the mothers of infants with CRS, 6 had not received rubella vaccine, and 4 had unknown vaccination history.

There appears to be continued reluctance by the Japanese government to extend rubella vaccination to include those males now between 20 and 40 years of age, who had not previously received rubella vaccination as a consequence of government policy. While rubella infection in these individuals does not have serious consequences for them, vaccination would reduce the prevalence of the virus in the community and help to protect those mothers and children, who for whatever reason, had escaped vaccination earlier.

A map of the prefectures of Japan can be accessed at http://gojapan.about.com/cs/japanmaps/l/blmap.htm. - Mod.CP

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/62Cn.]

See Also

Rubella - Japan (09): national epidemic 20130613.1771486
Rubella - Japan (08): vaccination update 20130606.1757780
Rubella - Japan (07): update 20130604.1754725
Rubella - Japan (06): comment, RFI 20130509.1701528
Rubella - Japan (05): still spreading 20130508.1699530
Rubella - Japan (04): travel alert 20130406.1626811
Rubella - Japan (03): vaccination policy 20130321.1597149
Rubella - Japan (02): increasing incidence 20130319.1594293
Rubella - Japan: increasing incidence 20130228.1564418
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