Rubella
From ChildWiki.com
Rubella is a disease that lasts three days, caused by the rubella virus. Rubella is usually a mild disease that will not cause long term problems.
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[edit] Causes
The rubella virus is spread most of the times through fluid drops from mucus membranes that contain the virus. An infected person can spread the virus through fluid drops while coughing, sneezing, talking or sharing a food or a drink. Infection can also occur by contacting a contaminated surface, and then reaching the eyes, nose or mouth without washing the hands. Less commonly, contamination might occur even by contacting infected blood, through skin or hands lesions.
[edit] Symptoms
Typical rubella symptoms are:
- A minor rash
- Skin irritations and sensibility in ganglions, especially those behind the ears and behind the neck
- Moderated fever
Sometimes, teenage girls and young women might even get pains similar to arthritis, especially at small hand articulations level. Articular pains, that are more frequent in women, can last more than a month until they disappear. The swelling of the neck ganglion is common to many viral conditions.
Sometimes, the skin rash is the only rubella symptom that appears in small children. Older children and teenagers can also present fever, eye pain, throat pains and a general sickness.
This rash is usually minor, and it debuts at face level and get extended to neck and chest levels, and then onto the entire body. At the beginning, it can be just reddish skin, and then it will become like point infected lesions.
Sometimes, a complication of rubella can occur. This is an infection at brain level called encephalitis. It is a rare but very serious complication. One out of five children that get encephalitis will die.
[edit] Fetal Infection Symptoms
If the fetus is infected with rubella during the first trimester of the pregnancy there is a high risk of spontaneous abortion, fetal death or congenital defects. More than 90% of the infected fetuses during the first 11 weeks of pregnancy will develop congenital rubella syndrome. This syndrome can cause severe congenital defects. Hearing disorders are the most frequent ones, but babies can also get heart problems, cerebral defects, eyesight problems, a stop in growth and bone diseases.
[edit] Rubella Medical Investigations
By examining the infected blood, the doctors can identify the antibodies against the rubella virus. This information can help the doctor identify if:
- This is a recent infection produced by the rubella virus
- This is an ulterior immunization produced by vaccination or by the disease itself at a previous time
A viral culture is sometimes made, that can identify if the current infection is produced by the rubella virus. In this case, results will take weeks.
[edit] Rubella in adults and children
If the children or the adults haven't been immunized and rubella is suspected, all the blood tests mentioned will be made so that the antibodies are identified and the diagnose confirmed. A positive diagnose can be announced without a blood test, if the doctor knows that the disease is not present in antecedents. This happens when there are specific symptoms or when the patient has been in contact with a confirmed rubella case.
[edit] Rubella in Pregnant Women
As part of the routine prenatal examinations, it will be also determined if there has been an ulterior immunization against rubella. If the pregnant woman has been exposed to rubella and immunization did not occur, an injection with immunoglobin is recommended. This substance will not prevent the infection, but it will reduce the symptoms and decrease the risk of congenital defects. The blood test will be repeated after 2-3 weeks. If the results are negative, the test will be done again after 6 weeks, to assure the virus is not present.
[edit] Rubella in Newborns
A newborn with birth defects that suggest an rubella infection, will be examined immediately to see if rubella was indeed the cause. The newborn gets a rubella diagnose after examining closely the medical history of the mother, including prenatal care. If the congenital rubella syndrome diagnose is obtained, the newborn will be isolated to prevent infecting other babies. Some countries will test all newborns for hearing defects, which are the most frequent in case of rubella.
[edit] Treatment
Treating rubella is based on treating specific symptoms, like an increased consumption of liquids to prevent dehydration and resting. Fever can be reduced with anti-thermal medication.
If a baby is born with rubella, he will be isolated from other that are not immunized. The baby will be kept indoors, will be bathed properly and kept clean at all times, these being the most important means of controlling the disease.
Pregnant woman will be treated with care. Those that work with children will decrease the contact with them, avoiding to kiss them on the mouth for example. A newborn that had rubella when he was born is contagious for one year.
