Rubella is known to everyone as a childhood illness, but you can get sick even in adulthood. In adults, the pathology is much more severe and often accompanied by complications. Rubella infection is especially dangerous during pregnancy. The incubation period lasts about 3 weeks. During this time, the virus manages to penetrate the body and provoke a sharp deterioration in well-being.
General information
Rubella is a disease of viral etiology, which in 1881 was identified as a separate nosological group. Its causative agent is considered to be an RNA genomic infectious agent from the togavirus family. It has teratogenic activity, that is, it can disrupt the full process of embryo development. The virus tolerates freezing well and remains aggressive at room temperature. However, exposure to ultraviolet light, heat, or the use of disinfectants will kill it.
The pathological process is manifested by a small-spotted rash and catarrhal phenomena. It can only be diagnosed by specificsigns. However, rubella testing is of the utmost importance. Specific antibodies begin to be actively synthesized in the body 4 weeks after infection. This indicates the formation of persistent immunity, which weakens after 20 years.
Transmission routes
The source of infection is usually a sick person. The infectious agent begins to be released into the external environment a week before the appearance of rashes on the skin and for 5-6 days from the onset of pustules. From an epidemiological point of view, children with congenital rubella are recognized as the most dangerous. In this case, the pathogen is excreted into the environment along with faeces or urine.
There are several routes of transmission:
- airborne;
- transplacental;
- contact household.
Women of reproductive age are especially susceptible to the rubella virus. Before the start of mass preventive vaccination, cases of the disease were recorded almost everywhere. Currently, among all outbreaks of the disease, approximately 83% are recorded in the post-Soviet countries. This trend is due to the lack of an immunization program for the population.
Incubation period for rubella
Incubation is the period from the moment the virus enters the body until the first clinical manifestations of infection appear. In the case of rubella, it is 10-24 days. During this time period, the infectious agent manages to penetrate through the mucous membrane of the throat and enter the bloodstream, where its active activity begins.reproduction.
It is during the incubation period of rubella in children visiting kindergartens that a he althy child is infected from a sick child. At this time, specific signs of the disease are still absent. Approximately a week before the onset of rashes on the skin, the patient becomes contagious to others.
Symptoms of disease in children
In childhood, rubella is quite easy. Photos of babies prove that even with this disease, they can play and do ordinary things. At the initial stage of the development of the pathological process, the child may refuse to eat, be capricious and constantly wake up at night. This is due to the fact that the virus releases substances that are toxic to the central nervous system.
As it progresses, symptoms resembling a cold appear: dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, slight fever. Literally in 2-3 days the situation can change dramatically. A small-spotted rash without itching appears all over the child's body. Pink spots do not rise above the surface of the skin. A favorite place for their localization is the flexion surface of the legs and arms, the groin and buttocks. The clinical picture is often supplemented by an increase in the occipital lymph nodes.
With this disease, the blood picture also changes. In the general analysis, there is a persistent increase in lymphocytes against the background of a decrease in leukocytes. ESR at the same time remains within the normal range. A four-fold increase in specific antibodies to rubella indicates the initial or acute period of the course.
Features of the pathological process in adults
In adulthood, the symptoms of the disease are more pronounced. As a rule, the body reacts very violently to the penetration of the virus. If a child calmly tolerates rubella "on his feet", then an adult needs bed rest for a week.
Among the main complaints with which patients go to the doctor are fever up to 39 degrees, joint pain and increasing weakness. The initial stage of rubella is often accompanied by an increase in the size of the spleen and liver, which is detected by palpation. Auscultation of the heart often reveals muffled heart sounds.
Photophobia and lacrimation appear. The characteristic rubella spots tend to merge together. At the same time, papules have no clear boundaries. Usually they appear on large areas - in the back and buttocks. If left untreated, the disease threatens to damage the joints of the hands and even encephalitis.
Congenital rubella syndrome
For pregnant women, this disease is very dangerous. The virus is distinguished by its ability to cross the placental barrier and can cause malformations in the fetus. The situation is especially dangerous when it comes to infection in the first trimester.
The CNS is the first target. The second place belongs to the organs of sight and hearing, and the third - to the heart. A child with congenital rubella syndrome is often diagnosed with diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, and even autism. However, it is a carrier of infection and may be potentially contagious.for 1-2 years.
In the later stages of pregnancy (from about 13 weeks) the likelihood of birth defects is much lower, but still exists. Another unpleasant consequence of the disease is stillbirth. For example, every third pregnant woman during the incubation period of rubella has a spontaneous miscarriage. One woman in 10 has a dead baby.
Diagnostic Methods
Identification of the disease in children is usually not accompanied by difficulties. It is enough for an experienced doctor to examine a small patient, to study the clinical picture and his anamnesis. After that, appropriate treatment is prescribed.
To diagnose an illness in adults, including pregnant women, a more serious examination will be required. It includes the following activities:
- Serological analysis. A diagnostic test for immunoglobulins M and G can tell a lot. For example, an increase in these titers indicates the development of a pathological process. IgM is checked approximately 10-12 days after infection. When the titer increases by 4 times or more, rubella is diagnosed. For preventive purposes, such an analysis is prescribed for pregnant women and those who have been in contact with sick people. When IgG is detected immediately, antibodies to the virus are present in the body. IgG persist for life.
- Virological study. Allows you to detect the presence of an infectious agent in the body. The analysis is informative only until the appearance of initial rashes. Suitable material for researchnot only blood, but also nasal discharge and amniotic fluid.
- PCR method. The rubella genome can be identified by polymerase chain reaction.
To exclude other pathologies with a similar clinical picture, a comparative diagnosis is carried out. The infection is differentiated from measles, scarlet fever, mononucleosis and allergies.
Features of therapy
Rubella does not require inpatient treatment. Hospitalization is subject to patients with a severe form of the disease, in the presence of concomitant pathologies or suspicions of complications. No specific therapy is available either.
The treatment complex includes a special diet with a predominance of protein foods in the diet. It is better to choose lean meats. Food should be fractional and small portions. It is imperative to monitor the drinking regime and consume about 2 liters of ordinary water per day.
Symptomatic therapy includes taking antipyretics (Paracetamol, Nurofen) and antihistamines (Suprastin, Tavegil). With the development of complications resort to the help of antibacterial drugs. They are prescribed on an individual basis and always taking into account the patient's condition.
Consequences for the body
Rubella rarely causes complications, especially in young patients. If the immune system is weak, after the infection, inflammatory processes occur in the knee-elbow and phalangeal joints. Prodromal signs may contribute to the development of pneumonia, otitis or tonsillitis.
OutDepending on the stage of rubella and the timeliness of contacting a doctor, complications almost always occur in pregnant women. They do not affect the future mother herself, but the child inside the womb. It can be mental and physical anomalies, miscarriage or fading of pregnancy.
Ways to prevent disease
Rubella prevention means timely vaccination. This infectious disease is easy to prevent. In medical practice today, various vaccines are used, including imported ones. The vaccine is given to young children from 15 to 18 months of age. Then it is repeated in puberty. Immunity after the administration of the drug lasts for 20 years.
Vaccination is contraindicated for pregnant women. It is also not recommended to plan conception within three months after vaccination. At this time, there is an increased likelihood of infection of the fetus.
If you don't know what rubella patients look like, the photos from this article will help you figure it out. When rashes appear, the patient should be immediately shown to the doctor, and then be sure to isolate him until complete recovery. In the room where the infected person is located, it is necessary to constantly carry out wet cleaning and ventilate the room.
