Prevention of congenital rubella and congenital varicella in Europe

Rubella and varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections during pregnancy can cause severe adverse outcomes in the embryo or foetus. Despite the availability of safe and efficacious vaccines, cases of congenital rubella and varicella syndrome still occur in Europe. As of 2004, several countries had high proportions of women of childbearing age that were susceptible to rubella and varicella virus infection. Effective immunisation strategies to enhance prevention should include an active role of different medical specialists in order to include all medical consultations a person may have at different points in their lives as an opportunity to immunise susceptibles. Linkage of data on infectious diseases with those from congenital defects registries may be helpful to monitor the epidemiology of congenital rubella and varicella.