RUBELLA
german measles
SHAHANA SUNIJA
GROUP 18,SEM 11,6TH YEAR
What is rubella
(German measles)?
• Rubella is a contagious illness you get
from the RuV virus. It causes a rash that
usually starts on your face and moves
down your body.
• It is Caused by the Rubella virus
(Togavirus family).
• Rubella is also called German measles or
three-day measles
• The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)
vaccine is safe and highly effective in
preventing rubella. The vaccine provides
lifelong protection against rubella.
What is congenital rubella syndrome?
Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) is the
most serious form of rubella. It happens
when a pregnant person passes rubella to
the fetus. This can cause skin, hearing,
vision, heart and brain problems in
newborns.
Children with CRS can suffer hearing
impairments, eye and heart defects and
other lifelong disabilities, including autism,
diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction
Before the introduction of the vaccine, up to 4 babies in every
1000 live births were born with CRS.
How common is rubella?
There are about 26,000 cases of rubella worldwide each year.
It’s most common in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. There are
only a few cases diagnosed each year in the U.S. since the
disease’s elimination
Rubella affects both sexes equally in children, whereas in adults,
rubella affects more women than men.
In countries where rubella is endemic, it is estimated to occur at
a rate of 1.30/100,000 in the general population.
• Rubella virus is the sole member of the
genus Rubivirus within the newly classified
Matonaviridae family.
• It is a single-stranded, positive sense
enveloped RNA virus.
• Rubella virus encodes two non-structural
proteins (p90 and p150) and three
structural proteins; glycoprotein (E1 and E2)
and the capsid protein (CP)
Rubella is spread by direct contact with
nasal or throat secretions of infected
individuals.
Rubella can also be transmitted by
breathing in droplets that are sprayed into
the air when an infected person sneezes,
coughs or talks.
This is a highly infectious disease and the
patient can pass the disease to other
persons from 1 week before to 1 week after
onset of rash.
Incubation period
It ranges from 12 – 23 days, usually 14
days.
What are the symptoms of rubella?
Up to 50% of people have no symptoms at all
but can still spread rubella to other people.
Symptoms of rubella include:
• Rash.
• Low fever.
• Cough.
• Sore throat.
• Runny nose.
• Headache.
• Pink eye.
• Joint pain.
• Generally feeling unwell (malaise).
• Swollen lymph nodes.
How is rubella diagnosed?
To diagnose rubella, your healthcare provider will give you a physical exam and look at
your rash if you have one. They might test your blood, pee (urine) or mucus from your
nose or throat for signs of rubella
Tests used to diagnose rubella include:
Blood tests. They’ll look for antibodies to rubella, which would show that you’re
either currently sick, have had rubella before or are vaccinated against rubella.
Nasal or throat swabs.
A lab will test the sample for signs of rubella.
Urine tests.
A lab will test your pee (urine) for signs of rubella.
Detection of rubella IgM by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is used to confirm suspected
cases of acute rubella infection and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS)
How is rubella treated?
• There is no effective antiviral treatment for rubella.
• Treatment of symptoms includes plenty of fluids and pain
relief if required.
• Paracetamol may be used to reduce fever and pain. Aspirin
should not be given to children under 12 years of age
unless specifically recommended by a doctor.
• CDC recommends that people get MMR vaccine to protect
against measles, mumps, and rubella.
• Children should get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting
with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and the
second dose at 4 through 6 years of age.
How can I prevent rubella?
The best way to prevent rubella is vaccination with the
MMR vaccine. It’s about 97% effective at preventing rubella
infection.
Other ways to protect yourself against rubella include:
• Wash your hands frequently, especially if you’re sick.
• Don’t share personal items — like cups or utensils —
with anyone else.
• Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.
• If traveling, know if rubella or other infectious diseases
are more common at your destination.
What are the complications of rubella?
The most common and serious complications of rubella
are pregnancy loss (miscarriage) and congenital rubella
syndrome (CRS). CRS happens in babies born to
someone who had rubella while pregnant. Less common
complications include:
• Arthritis.
• Low platelets (thrombocytopenia).
• Brain swelling (encephalitis).
Reference
• https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rubella
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditions/rubella/symptoms-causes/syc-20377310
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17798-
rubella
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559040/
