ABSTRACT

Congenital rubella syndrome is a transplasental infection that may cause serious devastating damage in the fetus. In developed countries, where the rubella vaccination is in routine program, the disease is almost never observed. It still persists as a crucial problem in developing and underdeveloped countries because of economical reasons and insufficient health system organization. The most frequently encountered findings in congenital rubella syndrome are intrauterine growth retardation, unilateral or bilateral cataracts, microphtalmia, patent ductus arteriosus, "Blue berry muffin" dermal lesions, sensorineural hearing loss, microcephaly, chronic encephalitis, intracranial calcification, hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, anemia and hepatitis. A prematurely born infant at 32 weeks' gestation who presented with intrauterine growth retardation, microphtalmia, cataract, patent ductus arteriosus, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, thrombocytopenia and skin eruptions, underwent whole blood exchange transfusion due to severe hyperbilirubinemia developing in the first 24 hours, and finally was diagnosed to have congenital rubella syndrome is presented and discussed in this paper.