Infectious Diseases: Four Against Rubella

Taiwan has the unenviable distinction of getting epidemics ahead of the U.S. It was so with an epidemic of rubella ("German" or "three day" measles) that swept the western Pacific island eleven years ago; the next major U.S. epidemic did not come until 1964. Then it left at least 20,000 and perhaps 30,000 U.S. babies crippled or blinded from viral damage early in gestation. Taiwan is now experiencing another rubella out break and a threatened epidemic; the next is predicted for the U.S. in 1971. But this time, Taiwan is enjoying pre-epidemic benefits: thousands of doses of rubella vaccine,...

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