Rubella overview
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Rubella Microchapters |
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Rubella overview On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Rubella overview |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Rubella is a common childhood infection usually with minimal systemic upset although transient arthropathy may occur in adults. Serious complications are very rare. If it were not for the effects of transplacental infection on the developing foetus, rubella is a relatively trivial infection.
Causes
The disease is caused by Rubella virus, a togavirus that is enveloped and has a single-stranded RNA genome.[1] The virus is transmitted by the respiratory route and replicates in the nasopharynx and lymph nodes. The virus is found in the blood 5 to 7 days after infection and spreads throughout the body. It is capable of crossing the placenta and infecting the fetus where it stops cells from developing or destroys them.[2]