What is rubella?

Speaking of rubella, many friends don’t know what kind of disease it is. In fact, the harm of this disease is very serious. It is not only contagious, but also has a certain degree of hereditary nature. This is mainly because once the human body is infected with the rubella virus, it will carry it for life and will infect the fetus during pregnancy, causing the fetus to carry the rubella virus after birth. Once an attack occurs, the harm is serious.

If a woman is infected with rubella during pregnancy, it will directly cause damage to the fetus and cause congenital rubella syndrome. In severe cases, it will pose a life-threatening threat to the fetus after birth. Therefore, when facing rubella, you must pay attention to prevention and avoid infection. So, what exactly is rubella?

Rubella virus is an RNA virus. Togaviruses are viruses that are confined to humans. They are mostly spherical under the electron microscope. The core has a diameter of 50 to 70 nm. The antigenic structure of rubella virus is quite stable. Only one antigenic type is known. The rubella virus can survive and multiply in the placenta or fetus (and for months or even years after birth). Produce long term. Chronic progressive multisystem infection. Pathogenesis

1. Source of infection

Patients are the only source of infection for rubella, including those with subclinical or latent infections, whose actual number is higher than that of patients, and therefore they are an important source of infection that is easily overlooked. The infectious period is 5 to 7 days before and 3 to 5 days after onset of the disease, and the disease is most contagious on the day of onset and the day before. The virus can be isolated from the patient's oral, nasal, and pharyngeal secretions, as well as blood, urine, and feces.

2. Transmission routes

Generally, rubella in children and adults is mainly transmitted by droplets through the respiratory tract, and can also be transmitted through close contact between people. Newborns infected in the womb can excrete the virus, especially in the throat, for weeks, months or even more than a year. Therefore, they can infect medical staff and family members who lack antibodies through contaminated bottles, nipples, clothes, diapers and direct contact, or cause the virus to spread in the nursery. If the fetus is infected, it may cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth or congenital rubella with various congenital malformations.

3. Susceptible population

Rubella is generally more common in children aged 5 to 9 years old, and it is also uncommon in young people, adults and the elderly during the epidemic period. Rubella is more common in winter and spring. In recent years, the disease has occurred more frequently in spring and summer, and can be prevalent among gathering groups such as kindergartens, schools, and the military.

Now that we know what rubella is, we hope that all of you will take precautions against rubella in your daily life and pay attention to understanding the symptoms of rubella. It is best to detect it during the incubation period of rubella and receive timely treatment to avoid the serious impact of rubella on your health. Especially for pregnant women, they should pay more attention to preventing rubella.