I had German Measles at the age of 36 years. It was the only time I took leave from my clinic.
Luckily for me my partner Dr Tan was able to stand in for me.
The reason why I took leave was the danger of spreading the virus to any pregnant woman who happen to be in the clinic.
The virus is very infectious because after I recovered from the illness, Dr Tan fell sick with German Measles.
Rubella is a infectious disease caused by a virus that is spread through the air or by close contact. It is characterized by fever, generalized rash and swollen glands behind the ears and in the neck.
It can also be transmitted to a fetus by a mother with an active infection. The disease is usually mild and may even go unnoticed. It is also called German Measles.
Most children have few symptoms, but adults may experience a prodrome (warning symptom) of a fever, headache, malaise, runny nose, and inflamed eyes, that lasts from 1 to 5 days before the rash appears.
A person can transmit the disease from 1 week before the onset of the rash until 1 week after the rash disappears.
A child with rubella may not look or act sick, but symptoms may include:
1. low-grade fever
2.swollen glands behind the ears and at the back and sides of the neck.
3.Loss of appetite, irritability, loss of interest in personal care.
4.Rash (maculopapiular) which appears on the face and torso and spreads to the arms and legs, lasting 3 to 5 days.
5.Rarely joint pain and arthritis (more common in adult women).
Lifelong immunity to the disease follows infection.
The disease is potentially dangerous because it is able to produce defects in a developing fetus if the mother is infected during early pregnancy.
About 10 to 15% of women in their childbearing years are susceptible to infection.
Congenital rubella syndrome occurs in 25% or more of infants born to women who acquired rubella during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Defects may occur in an infected foetus and include deafness, cataracts, microcephaly, mental retardation, congenital heart defects, and other defects.
A miscarriage or stillbirth may occur.
Defects are rare if the infection occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy.Risk factors include lack of immunization and exposure to an active case of rubella.
Your child should stay at home while sick or up to a week after the rash disappears.
There is no cure for Rubella.
Symptomatic treatment of a child with rubella is usual.
Keep your child quiet, especially if she has a fever.
Children should be kept at home while any rash is visible and for a week thereafter.
Cool sponging will help relieve fever and discomfort from a rash. An acetaminophen-based pain reliever may also help.
If you are pregnant and are exposed to rubella, you should contact your doctor immediately.
The risk of birth defects is higher the earlier the exposure occurred in your pregnancy.
In some cases, your doctor may advise you to consider a therapeutic termination of your pregnancy.
Two doses of the MMR vaccine are recommended for children. The MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine) is now given at 15 months, with a booster at the age of 12.
Pregnancy Concerns
If you are pregnant, and uncertain of your immunity to rubella, and suspect you have been exposed, contact your doctor immediately.
There is a risk the virus can be passed to your unborn child.
If your child has rubella, notify any at-risk individuals who have had contact with your child during the illness and up to 10 days before symptoms appeared, so they can seek appropriate care.
If any household member is pregnant and there is any question of her not being immune, your doctor will recommend delaying immunization of your children to prevent exposing the mother-to-be to the live, though weakened, virus in the vaccine.
At least three months before trying to become pregnant, a woman should have a blood test to see if the rubella antibodies are present.
If antibodies are not present, she should be immunized or reimmunized.
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