Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) is caused when a mother is infected by the rubella virus and passes it to a developing fetus. The severity of CRS can relate to when the mother was infected by the rubella virus. Children of mothers who contract rubella early in pregnancy typically have more severe cases of CRS.
In the mid 1960s, there was a world-wide epidemic of rubella. It is estimated that there were 20,000 cases of CRS in the U.S. because of that outbreak. Many of the services for individuals who are DeafBlind that still exist today developed as a response to this epidemic.
As vaccinations began to control the virus in the late 1960s, the incidence of CRS decreased significantly. However, there are still children born each year with CRS. Some professionals fear that these numbers may increase over time as parents choose not to immunize their children due to fear or autism or other perceived complications relating to vaccines.
The symptoms of CRS have been categorized into early stage and late symptoms or delayed onset. Some of the early symptoms of CRS can include hearing loss, vision loss, congenital heart defects, neurological issues, and developmental delays. Some later emerging symptoms can include diabetes, underactive thyroid, growth hormone deficiency, glaucoma and increase or decrease of seizures. Not all older individuals with CRS develop these complications.
Hearing loss is the most common complication of CRS. Hearing loss can range from mild to severe. Vision loss is another complication of CRS and can emerge as a variety of visual conditions including optic atrophy, cataracts, microphthalmia (smaller than normal eyes), pigmentary retinopathy or nystagmus.