Congenital Rubella Syndrome profile of audiology outpatient clinic in Surabaya, Indonesia

Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) consists of hearing impairment, ophthalmology abnormalities, and congenital heart disease in children, resulting from rubella infection during pregnancy. Rubella vaccine has been implemented as national immunization program in Indonesia since 2017, and needed to be evaluated. This study aimed to report the CRS patients’ profile of Audiology Outpatient Clinic in Surabaya. A descriptive study from patient’s medical record was conducted in Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya from January 2016 to December 2017. CRS was categorized using World Health Organization classification. Suspected infants with CRS burden were assessed by Otoacoustic Emission and rubella antibody test. Ninety five infants suspected with CRS classified as laboratory- confirmed CRS (58.95%), clinically confirmed CRS (15.79%), and discarded CRS (25.26%). Clinical manifestations included combination of congenital heart disease and hearing impairment (17.89%), congenital heart disease, ophthalmology abnormalities, and hearing impairment (16.84%), and hearing impairment and ophthalmology abnormalities (13.68%). The data show a high burden of CRS in Surabaya. These implies the urgent need for national rubella immunization program.