Background and aims Congenital rubella is a rare and serious disease including auditory, neurological, cardiac, urinary, and ocular abnormalities.

Aims remind the gravity of the rubella seroconversion during pregnancy and the necessity of its prevention.

Methods We report a retrospective analysis of 21 cases of congenital rubella, confirmed by serology, followed in paediatric and neonatology department between 2004 and 2013.

Results The average age of diagnosis was 21 days. Maternal rubella immune status was unknown in 10 cases. Seroconversion was noted in 7 cases, a patient had a residual immunity and a skin rash arisen during the pregnancy was noted in 5 cases. At birth 16 patients had intrauterine growth retardation, leukokoria (6 cases), cardiac breath (9 cases), facial dysmorphy (7 cases) and genital anomalies (4 cases). The ophthalmologic examination showed: bilateral cataract (4 cases), unilateral cataract (2 cases), glaucoma (1 case) and a case of bilateral corneal dystrophy. The biology showed 5 cases of thrombopenia. The cardiac sonography showed cardiac defects in 11 cases, with variable anomalies mainly patent ductus arteriosus (7 cases) and pulmonary stenosis (4 cases). The hearing evoked potential showed a bilateral deafness in 2 cases. The outcome was unfavourable with death in 3 cases, retarded growth associated with a psychomotor delay in 6 cases.

Conclusion The persistence of congenital rubella syndrome in our country shows the necessity of including rubella immunisation in the routine national immunisation program, especially in developing countries.