- 1. What are the symptoms of the disease?
- 2. What tests confirm rubella?
- 3. What causes rubella?
- 4. Is rubella in pregnancy serious?
- 5. How can rubella be prevented?
- 6. How is the treatment done?
- 7. Does the rubella vaccine hurt?
Rubella is a highly contagious disease that gets caught in the air and is caused by a virus of the genus Rubivirus . This disease manifests itself through symptoms such as small red spots on the skin surrounded by bright red, spread throughout the body, and fever.
Its treatment is only to control the symptoms, and normally, this disease does not have serious complications. However, rubella contamination during pregnancy can be serious and, therefore, if the woman has never had contact with the disease or has never had the vaccine against the disease, she should have the vaccination before becoming pregnant.
1. What are the symptoms of the disease?
Rubella is most common in late winter and early spring and usually manifests itself through the following signs and symptoms:
- Fever up to 38ยบ C; Red spots that initially appear on the face and behind the ear and then move towards the feet for about 3 days; Headache; Pain in the muscles; Difficulty in swallowing; Stuffy nose; Swollen tongue especially on the neck;Red eyes.
Rubella can affect children and adults and although it can be considered a childhood disease, it is not common for children under 4 years to have the disease.
2. What tests confirm rubella?
The doctor can arrive at the diagnosis of rubella after observing the symptoms and proving the disease through a specific blood test that identifies the presence of the IgG and IgM antibodies.
Generally when you have IgM antibodies it means you have the infection, while the presence of IgG antibodies is more common in those who have had the disease in the past or in those who are vaccinated.
3. What causes rubella?
The etiologic agent of rubella is a Rubivirus type virus that is easily transmitted from person to person through small droplets of saliva, which can end up being distributed in the environment when someone infected with the disease sneezes, coughs or talks, for example.
Usually, the person with rubella can transmit the disease for about 2 weeks or until the symptoms on the skin disappear completely.
4. Is rubella in pregnancy serious?
Although rubella is a relatively common and simple disease in childhood, when it occurs during pregnancy it can cause malformations in the baby, especially if the pregnant woman has contact with the virus in the first 3 months.
Some of the most common complications that can arise from rubella in pregnancy include autism, deafness, blindness or microcephaly, for example. See other possible complications and how to protect yourself from rubella during pregnancy.
Thus, it is best for all women to be vaccinated during childhood or at least 1 month before becoming pregnant, to be protected against the virus.
5. How can rubella be prevented?
The best way to prevent rubella is to take the triple viral vaccine that protects against measles, chicken pox and rubella, even in childhood. Usually the vaccine is applied to babies aged 15 months, requiring a booster dose between 4 and 6 years of age.
Anyone who has not had this vaccine or its booster in childhood can take it at any stage, with the exception of the period of pregnancy because this vaccine can lead to miscarriage or malformations in the baby.
6. How is the treatment done?
As rubella is a disease that usually does not have serious implications, its treatment consists of relieving the symptoms, so it is recommended to take painkillers and control the fever, such as Paracetamol and Dipyrone, prescribed by the doctor. In addition, it is important to rest and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and to facilitate the elimination of the virus from the body.
Complications related to rubella are not frequent, but they can happen in people who have a weakened immune system, which can happen when undergoing treatment for AIDS, cancer or after having received a transplant. These complications can be joint pain, caused by arthritis and encephalitis. See other complications of rubella.
7. Does the rubella vaccine hurt?
The rubella vaccine is very safe, provided it is administered correctly, helping to protect against the disease, even if the virus comes into contact with the organism. However, this vaccine can be dangerous if administered during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, as the virus present in the vaccine, even if attenuated, can lead to malformations in the baby. In all other cases, the vaccine is relatively safe and must be administered.
See when you should not get the rubella vaccine.
