Description
Rubella is a herpes virus. Generally, rubella is considered a mild adolescence disease; however, a maternal infection could be
transmitted through the placenta to the fetus, causing congenital rubella. Congenital rubella may result in chronic cardiac
disease, growth retardation, hepatosplenomegaly, malformations and other severe abnormalities. Children born asymptomatic
may develop these abnormalities later in life.
To reduce risk of such severe complications, accurate serological methods must be performed to determine the serologic status
of childbearing-aged women. The presence of rubella specific IgG in the bloodstream attests immunity to rubella. An increase in
rubella IgG denotes an acute infection and differentiates rubella from other exanthematous diseases.
