Rubella eye disease

Each year about 100cases of congenital rubella syndrome occur. Rates of disease have decreased in many areas as a result of vaccination. There are ongoing efforts to eliminate the disease globally.

The fetus is infected with the rubella virus transplacentally, secondary to maternal viremia during the course of primary infection. It causes symptoms like a rash, fever, and eye redness.

It’s usually mild in kids, but it can be more serious in pregnant women. Some adults may also have a headache, pink eye , and general discomfort before the rash appears. About to of people infected with rubella will not experience any symptoms. In rare cases, rubella can cause serious problems, including brain infections and bleeding problems. How does rubella spread?

The disease is most contagious when the infected person has a rash. Humans are the natural reservoir for rubella virus and are the only source of infection. In temperate areas, infection is more common in late winter and early spring months.

Infected people may experience red rash, low-grade fever, headache, mild pink eye , swollen lymph nodes, cough or runny nose. There is no specific treatment for rubella but the disease is preventable by vaccination. Rubella causes symptoms similar to those of measles.

Congenital rubella occurs when the rubella virus in the mother affects the developing baby in the first months of pregnancy. After the fourth month, if the mother has a rubella infection, it is less likely to harm the developing baby. The number of babies born with this condition is much smaller since the rubella vaccine was developed. It provided the first evidence that the placental barrier between the mother and the fetus does not fully protect the fetus from teratogens (agents that can cause birth defects).

Click on the link to view information on this topic. Women of childbearing age who are susceptible to rubella (a serum test can establish the presence of the rubella -antibody in their blood) should also be vaccinated. Until recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that a woman should wait for three months after vaccination against rubella before getting pregnant.

Ocular disease was the most commonly noted disorder (), followed by sensorineural hearing deficits (), psychomotor retardation (), cardiac abnormalities (), and mental retardation (). Most kids get vaccinated for it with the MMR. A child born with congenital rubella may be immunized to prevent recurrence of the disease. A pregnant woman who contracts rubella should be immunized to protect her unborn child.

Although transmission of rubella virus within the United States is rare, the risk for imported cases persists. However, the public health importance of rubella relates to the teratogenic effects when rubella infection is acquired in the early months of pregnancy. Since rubella infection can appear similar to other rash illnesses or may be asymptomatic, a positive viral culture is needed to make a positive rubella diagnosis.

Infection with a virus causes rubella , a contagious disease. However, rubella is still common in many developing countries. German measles is another name for rubella.

National uptake of antenatal screening for rubella susceptibility fell slightly from 98. Most people who get rubella usually have a mild illness. Infants with CRS can suffer hearing impairments, eye and heart defects and other lifelong disabilities, including autism, diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction. Aside from a widespread skin rash, individuals who have rubella also have swollen lymph nodes along with fever.

While rubella is typically mild in children, adults tend to have more complications.