When to get tested for Rubella? What does the test result mean?

The article is known by Master, Doctor Tran Thi Vuong - Doctor of Microbiology - Laboratory Department - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

Testing for rubella during pregnancy is extremely important, because this will help doctors understand the baby's development, mother's health and possible risks during pregnancy. pregnant. So when and where to get tested for rubella?

Rubella virus causes typhus, also known as German Measles. Rubella causes acute infection and has previously caused epidemics in the community. The disease occurs worldwide, usually appearing in spring and early summer. Nowadays, there is a vaccine to prevent the disease, so the infection rate tends to be lower.
The entry route of the virus is transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person through droplets of an infected person when they cough or sneeze into the air. It can take up to 7 days to spread from before the rash appears to after the rash.
Symptoms, incubation period from 14-21 days. This is the period when the virus multiplies in the patient's body, without showing any symptoms. During the full-blown period, fever appears, more often low-grade fever, rash. The rash usually appears on the front, then spreads down the trunk and limbs. Erythema only lasts 3 days and then flies. In some cases the rash persists for longer than 5-7 days.
In addition to the rash, the patient may have body aches, pain in the joints, and the appearance of lymph nodes in the neck and armpits. The lymph nodes may appear before the rash and persist long after the rash sets.
In addition, the patient has other symptoms such as sore throat, cough, sneezing, red eyes. However, there are also cases of Rubella infection but no symptoms, or transient mild symptoms (25-50%). These people, even if they don't show symptoms, can still spread the virus to others.
Previously, Rubella was not noticed much due to mild clinical symptoms, few complications occurred. After that, studies showed that complications caused by Rubella in pregnant women in the first 3 months of pregnancy, can have a very serious impact on the fetus, at this time Rubella has received more attention.
Complications that occur in pregnant mothers in the first 3 months of pregnancy with Rubella infection, causing consequences for the newborn such as: possible miscarriage, or after a few months or a few years after birth, the baby will have symptoms:
Deafness: Cardiovascular disease Nerve damage, eye damage... Therefore, women should be vaccinated with Rubella vaccine before becoming pregnant to avoid being infected with Rubella during pregnancy. Also, during pregnancy, although not mandatory, pregnant women should be tested for Rubella IgM, IgG to determine the immune status as well as to diagnose Rubella infection or non-infection.

To diagnose Rubella infection, there are many methods such as antibody determination, PCR, gene sequencing. However, the method of determining IgM and IgG antibodies is the most common, simple and inexpensive method. This is also a test to probe the immune response after vaccination. IgM appears within 4 days of rash onset and persists for 4-12 weeks. IgG can be present at the same time as IgM, but persists even longer, even for a lifetime, but the levels gradually decrease.
Patient will have blood drawn for testing. Blood should be collected 1-3 days after the rash, increasing the positive rate. The test is simple to perform, with quick results in 1-2 hours.
Rubella IgM, IgG negative: you are not infected with rubella, nor are you immune to this virus. You can get the rubella vaccine. For women who want to have children, they should be vaccinated against Rubella at least 4 weeks before pregnancy. Rubella IgM is positive, IgG is negative or IgM and IgG are all positive: combined with the patient's clinical condition, the time of sampling and asking about the patient's medical history, the doctor can think of an infection or an infection. This is the case when the antibody is from a previous infection. Rubella IgM negative, IgG positive: you are not infected with Rubella, and your body already has immunity against the virus. The diagnosis of rubella infection by immunoassays sometimes makes it difficult to distinguish between active infection (primary infection) or reinfection (body re-exposure to the virus). Therefore, in order to make a definitive diagnosis, it is necessary to carefully explore the patient's history, combine with a second antibody test. The second time to take blood at least 5-7 days apart from the first time, it must always be associated with clinical symptoms. of the patient.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital performs an automated rubella IgM and IgG test quickly and accurately with the support of a team of experienced doctors and modern equipment systems. . This will help in consulting the rubella test during pregnancy, correctly diagnosing problems related to the rubella virus rash.
Besides, Vinmec also has a full range of vaccines, including Rubella vaccine, imported directly from the US and Germany of clear origin and good quality. All vaccines are preserved in a modern cold storage system, with a cold storage line meeting GSP standards to ensure that the vaccine always keeps the best quality. Customers will be examined by specialized doctors, fully screened for physical and health problems, advised on preventive vaccines and injection regimens, how to monitor and care after vaccination before Indications for vaccination according to the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Health & World Health Organization to ensure the best effectiveness and safety for customers.