Chronic arthropathy associated with rubella vaccination

Abstract

Eleven children suffered recurrent episodes of knee stiffness (“catcher's crouch syndrome”) after receiving HPV‐77DK12 rubella vaccine. One was evaluated by arthroscopy and the synovium was found to be hypertrophied posteriorly and to protrude in folds into the intercondylar notch and lateral joint space. Culture for rubella virus was unsuccessful. The authors' observations provide evidence that “catcher's crouch syndrome” is a synovial disease and that chronic joint disease can be a sequela of rubella immunization.