With the introduction of the rubella vaccine in the late 1960s, the incidence of German measles significantly declined. However, the condition is still common in many other parts of the world. It mainly affects
children
, more commonly those between 5 and 9 years old, but it can also occur in adults.
Which group of individuals should receive the rubella vaccine?
Adults born during or after 1957
should receive at least one dose of rubella-containing vaccine. These people include students attending colleges or other post high school educational institutions, healthcare personnel, international travelers, and non-pregnant women of childbearing age.
Does rubella affect a particular group?
Is everyone immune to rubella?
Because the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is given to most children, rubella is much less common now.
Almost everyone who receives the vaccine has immunity to rubella
. Immunity means that your body has built a defense to the rubella virus. In some adults, the vaccine may wear off.
Where is rubella most common in the world?
China
is the top country by rubella cases in the world. As of 2020, rubella cases in China was 2,202 that accounts for 21.60% of the world’s rubella cases. The top 5 countries (others are Mozambique, India, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria) account for 65.50% of it.
Is rubella the same as measles?
Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus. It is also called German measles, but it is caused by a different virus
than measles
.
Does rubella need to be reported?
Since continuous endemic rubella transmission has been eliminated, rubella
is an immediately notifiable disease
.
Why do I not have immunity to rubella?
This may be because
your body hasn’t produced enough protection or antibody
, or because the vaccine hasn’t been stored or handled properly. In most cases another immunisation will work. I thought I was immune, but my blood has just been tested and now they say I’m not.
What happens if you are not immune to rubella while pregnant?
If a pregnant woman is not immune to rubella and catches it during the first 5 months of pregnancy,
she usually passes the disease on to her fetus
. If the fetus gets rubella during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the baby will likely be born with many problems.
What level is rubella immune?
The Rubella Subcommittee of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards has proposed lowering the breakpoint to define rubella immunity from
15 to 10 IU/mL
. This recommendation stems from epidemiologic studies on vaccinated persons with low levels of antibody and anecdotal reports.
What disease does rubella cause?
Rubella can cause a
miscarriage or serious birth defects
in a developing baby if a woman is infected while she is pregnant. The best protection against rubella is MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. Rubella is still common in other countries.
How many people have died from German measles?
During the last major rubella epidemic in the United States from 1964 to 1965, an estimated 12.5 million people got rubella, 11,000 pregnant women lost their babies,
2,100
newborns died, and 20,000 babies were born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).
What are the chances of catching rubella?
This is a very high chance. If you get rubella at 13 to 16 weeks of pregnancy, your baby has a
1 in 2 chance
(50 percent) of being infected. If you get rubella at the end of your second trimester or later, your baby has a 1 in 4 chance (25 percent) of getting infected.
Which is worse measles or rubella?
Rubella isn’t the same as measles
, but the two illnesses share some symptoms, including the red rash. Rubella is caused by a different virus than measles, and rubella isn’t as infectious or as severe as measles. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is highly effective in preventing rubella.
What happens if rubella IgG is high?
A positive rubella IgG test result is good—it means that
you are immune to rubella and cannot get the infection
. This is the most common rubella test done.
How can rubella be prevented from spreading?
The rubella vaccine protects people from the disease.
Widespread immunization
is the key to preventing the spread of the virus and protecting babies from the serious health problems of congenital rubella syndrome. Most rubella infections today are in young, non-immunized adults rather than in kids.
