Is rubella a skin disease?

Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
Updated on September 04, 2024
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Rubella is an infectious disease that should be treated in the departments of Infectious Diseases rather than Dermatology. It is caused by the rubella virus and its typical clinical symptoms include fever, a rash all over the body, and swollen lymph nodes behind the ears and neck. Generally, the symptoms are mild and the course of the disease is short, with most patients having a good prognosis. However, if a pregnant woman is infected with rubella early in her pregnancy, it can severely affect the fetus, even causing congenital deformities or developmental delays. Rubella is a self-limiting disease, and currently, there is no specific medicine for rubella virus infection.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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What does rubella virus mean?

Rubella virus is the pathogen of rubella, belonging to single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses. Rubella virus can easily cause vertical transmission. If pregnant women are infected with rubella virus in the early stages of pregnancy, it may enter the fetus through the placental barrier, leading to stillbirth, miscarriage, or fetal deformities. The survival ability of rubella virus outside the human body is relatively weak. It is very sensitive to ultraviolet light, ether, and common disinfectants, which can generally kill the virus. After infection with rubella virus, the disease is self-limiting, and most cases can recover on their own in about two weeks, primarily through symptomatic treatment.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Does the blood test for rubella virus require fasting?

During the examination for rubella, blood can be drawn to test for rubella virus-specific antibodies IgG and IgM. It is best to conduct these tests on an empty stomach as fasting results are more accurate. Additionally, rubella virus can be isolated from some of the nasal secretions of the patient, though this test is more expensive and less commonly used. Rubella is a self-limiting disease; if IgM is found positive through rubella antibody testing, rubella can be confirmed and symptomatic treatment should be administered. There is no specific antiviral medication for the rubella virus.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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How is rubella virus caused?

Rubella is an acute infectious disease primarily caused by the rubella virus, which can lead to a series of symptoms following infection. It can be transmitted from mother to child, as the rubella virus can pass to the fetus through the placenta. Additionally, it can be transmitted through airborne respiratory droplets commonly found in the environment. Patients with rubella have a high concentration of the virus in their saliva. When they talk, cough, or sneeze, virus-laden droplets are produced. When ordinary people inhale these droplets, they may contract the disease. Rubella is self-limiting, and most cases are mild and can fully recover on their own.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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"Rubella virus positive" means what?

Rubella virus positive, in fact, most cases are diagnosed through blood tests for rubella virus IgG antibodies or IgM antibodies. It depends on which specific indicator is tested. If the IgM antibody is positive and the IgG antibody is negative, it indicates an ongoing infection. If both IgG and IgM antibodies are positive, it can be diagnosed as a rubella virus infection. If the IgG antibody is positive and the IgM antibody is negative, it indicates a past infection with no current rubella virus infection. If the rubella virus is cultured or detected in nasal secretions or blood, a definitive diagnosis can be made.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Symptoms of Rubella Virus Infection

After infection with the rubella virus, the disease that develops is rubella. The rubella virus can be transmitted through ordinary airborne droplets and respiratory routes, and it can also be transmitted through close contact between people. The typical clinical symptoms include fever, a rash all over the body, and swelling of the lymph nodes behind the ears and at the back of the head. The clinical symptoms are relatively mild, the course of the disease is short, and the prognosis is good. However, if a pregnant woman is infected during the early stages of pregnancy, it can lead to severe consequences such as fetal deformities. In terms of treatment, it mainly involves symptomatic treatment and rest, with most people fully recovering in about two weeks.