What is rubella?
Rubella is a communicable disease caused by the rubella virus and is characterized by red rashes (spots) on the skin. It is a contagious viral infection that is transmitted from person to person when someone infected with the disease sneezes, coughs or talks, for example, and is more common during childhood.
What are the symptoms of rubella?
The symptoms of the infection usually appear 12 to 21 days after contact with the virus, the main ones being:
Most cases present with rashes on the skin, characterised by a pale pink appearance and a smooth, regular texture. Usually, the distribution is rapid (24 to 48 hours), starting on the face, moving to the neck, trunk and extremities, and usually disappearing by the 3rd day.
Before skin rashes, palpable and painful lymph nodes may also appear on the back of the head and back of the neck.
About 25 to 50% of cases may not have any symptoms at all, but still transmit the disease.
What is the contagion period?
The period of contagion of rubella varies between 1 and 2 weeks before and lasts until 5 to 7 days after the appearance of the rashes on the skin. Many infected people do not manifest symptoms, but they can be contagious.
What is the incubation period of rubella virus?
The incubation period varies from 14 to 17 days and can go up to 21 days.
How is the disease diagnosed?
The initial diagnosis of rubella is made based on the evaluation of the signs and symptoms presented by the person, in addition to the indication of a blood test to check for the presence of antibodies against rubella.
How is rubella virus transmitted?
The virus is transmitted by contact with nasopharyngeal secretions by dispersion of droplets from infected people when, for example, an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, and they can be inhaled or land in the mouth, nose or eyes of people who are nearby.
The virus can also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy through the bloodstream of the mother with placental infection.
Can rubella occur during pregnancy?
yes. When the infection is acquired during pregnancy, we are dealing with congenital rubella. In these cases, the disease can cause serious complications in the fetus, especially if the infection occurs in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
The disease can have several consequences for the baby (fetus):
- heart problems
- hearing loss
- vision problems
- intellectual disability
- low birth weight
- miscarriage
- microcephaly
Is there a vaccine against rubella?
yes. The rubella vaccine is combined with the measles vaccine and the epidemic mumps and is part of the National Vaccination Program.
Are complications usually occurring during the disease?
Although rubella usually manifests itself as a mild infection, in some very rare cases, it can present complications such as:
- arthritis (more common in adult women)
- low platelets in the blood
- Brain infections
What is the treatment of rubella?
There is no specific treatment for this disease, so it is usually directed at the symptoms caused by the disease. Usually, the following are recommended:
- supportive care, such as taking symptom-relieving medications, such as fever and body aches
- Hydration with oral fluids
- isolation of patients to prevent transmission of the disease
My child has rubella, should I avoid going to school?
yes. The removal should be maintained for a minimum period of 7 days after the onset of the rash (spots on the skin). In case of diagnostic doubt, pregnant women under 20 weeks should stay away from patients until the results of the rubella virus test are clarified, and when they have not had the disease or do not have the rubella virus vaccine.
Source: Directorate-General for Health (DGS)