Rubella is a highly contagious disease that catches the air and is caused by a virus of the genus Rubivirus . This disease manifests itself through symptoms such as small red patches on the skin surrounded by a bright red, scattered throughout the body, and fever.
Its treatment is only to control the symptoms, and usually this disease does not have serious complications. However, contamination with rubella during pregnancy can be serious and therefore if the woman has never had contact with the disease or made the vaccine against the disease, she should do 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 38º C;
- Red spots that appear initially on the face and behind the ear and then go towards the feet for about 3 days;
- Headache;
- Pain in the muscles;
- Difficulty swallowing;
- Stuffy nose;
- Swollen tongues especially in the neck;
- Red eyes.
Rubella can affect children and adults and although it may be considered a childhood illness, it is not common for children under 4 to have the disease.
2. What tests confirm rubella?
The doctor can arrive at the diagnosis of rubella after the observation of the symptoms and the proof of the disease through a specific blood test that identifies the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies.
Usually when you have antibodies of the type IgM means that you have the infection, while the presence of antibodies of the IgG type are 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, coughing or speech, for example.
Usually the person with rubella can transmit the disease for about 2 weeks or until the symptoms on the skin completely disappear.
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 baby has contact with the virus in the first 3 months.
Some of the most common complications that may arise from rubella in pregnancy include autism, deafness, blindness or microcephaly, for example. See the other possible complications and how to protect yourself from rubella during pregnancy.
So it is best for all women to get 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 given to infants aged 15 months and a booster dose between 4 and 6 years of age is required.
Anyone who has not taken this vaccine or its booster in childhood can take it at any stage except the time of pregnancy because this vaccine can lead to miscarriage or malformations in the baby.
6. How is the treatment done?
Because rubella is a disease that usually has no serious implications, its treatment is to alleviate the symptoms, so it is recommended to take analgesic and fever control medicines, such as Paracetamol and Dipirone, prescribed by the doctor. In addition, it is important to stay at rest and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and to facilitate the elimination of the virus from the body.
Rubella-related complications are uncommon, but may occur in people who have a weakened immune system, which can happen when you get treatment for AIDS, cancer, or after a transplant. These complications can be joint pain, caused by arthritis and encephalitis. See other complications of rubella.
7. Is the rubella vaccine harmful?
The rubella vaccine is quite safe, provided it is administered properly, helping to protect against the disease, even if the virus comes in contact with the body. However, this vaccine can be dangerous if administered during drainage, 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 take the rubella vaccine.
