Intrauterine Rubella Infection Following Immunization With Rubella Vaccine

A woman with no detectable rubella hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibody received rubella vaccine at three weeks of gestation. The pregnancy was terminated at eight weeks and rubella virus was recovered from decidua. The virus isolate stimulated high amounts of interferon and inhibited DNA synthesis in phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulated lymphocytes far less (53%) than did wild-type Ellis strain rubella virus (95%). Histologic changes seen in decidua were similar to those seen in gestational rubella.