Trends of rubella incidence during a 5-year period of case based surveillance in Zimbabwe

BMC Public Health

Table 1 Distribution of suspected and confirmed measles and rubella cases, 2007–2011

YEAR	Total received for measles testing	Total tested for measles	Number (%) positive for measles IgM	Total tested for rubella	Number (%) positive for rubella IgM
2007	242	242	1 (0.4)	241	106 (44)
2008	158	158	0 (0)	158	71 (44.9)
2009	412	400	125 (31.3)	275	29 (10.5)
2010	1706	1296	571 (44.1)	725	201 (27.7)
2011	910	903	0 (0)	903	458 (50.7)
Total	3428	2999	697 (23.2)	2302	865 (37.6)

The table shows a breakdown by year of number of samples from suspected measles cases identified through the national measles and rubella surveillance system during 2007–2011. Samples received at the National Measles Laboratory in good condition were tested first for measles and the numbers that were positive along with their percentages (%) are indicated. Samples that were negative for measles were subsequently tested for rubella and the total positives, together with their percentages (%) are also indicated. In 2007, for example, only 1 (0.4%) of 242 samples tested for measles at the laboratory was positive. Of 241 measles negative samples, 106 (44%) were positive for rubella.

ISSN: 1471-2458