We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
from Part VIII - Major Human Diseases Past and Present
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 March 2008
Rubella (German measles; 3-day measles) is a common, acute, viral infectious disease, principally of children and young adults, with worldwide distribution frequently characterized clinically as a mild rash illness. Inapparent infection is common and may occur in as many as half of infections. Rubella has special significance when a pregnant woman contracts the disease in early pregnancy because fetal infection can ensue and result in developmental abnormalities known as the congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Rubella is a vaccine-preventable disease, but the vaccine is not yet widely used on a global basis.
Etiology and Epidemiology
Rubella is caused by the rubella virus, which is in he genus Rubivirus of the family Togaviridae. Rubella virus is 50 to 60 nanometers in diameter and contains a single-stranded RNA genome.
Rubella is a highly contagious disease transmitted by contact of susceptible individuals with the nose and throat secretions of infected persons, primarily by droplet spread. Infection also occurs by direct contact, by indirect contact through freshly soiled articles, and by airborne transmission. There is no reservoir for rubella other than human beings, which means that a continuous chain of susceptible contacts is necessary to sustain transmission. The period of communicability is from about 1 week before rash onset to at least 4 days after. There is no carrier state except for infants with congenital rubella, who may shed virus for many months after birth. Rubella’s incubation period from time of exposure to onset of rash is 16 to 18 days, with a range of 14 to 23 days.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
