We report a documented case of clinically apparent rubella reinfection duri
ng pregnancy with rubelliform rash and fever followed by lymphodenopathy at
the 18th week of gestation, in a previously vaccinated woman with haemaggl
utination inhibition (HI) antibody titre of 1:32. The serological tests res
ults (including neutralizing antibodies) demonstrated a significant rise in
her rubella specific IgG level with strongly positive IgM reactivity. In a
ddition, rubella-specific IgG antibody avidity testing displayed high avidi
ty index (53-88%) typical of rubella reinfection, Umbilical cord blood, dra
wn by sonographic-guided cordocentesis at 24 weeks' gestation, was found to
be negative for rubella-specific IgM antibody The pregnancy was continued
to term, and a healthy infant was born, (C) 2000 The British Infection Soci
ety.