Rubella and Neonatal Effects
Rubella is an essentially harmless disease that resembles measles, however, it is highly teratogenic to a developing fetus. If a pregnant woman contracts rubella, the fetus is at risk to develop Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) which can result in tissue and organ damage. Proper nursing interventions and teaching should be done to prevent the spread of rubella and to lower the rates of CRS.
A History and Epidemiology for Rubella
Until the 18th century, rubella was often confused with measles and scarlet fever. In 1952 and 1958, two German scientist were able to isolate the rubella virus and it was given the name “German Measles” until 1866 when a Scottish physician gave it the name “Rubella” (Duszack, 2010). Rubella is spread through droplet transmission and contact. It replicates in the respiratory tract of the host, spreads to the lymph nodes and from there to the rest of the body (Yazdami, McGhee, & Stiehm, 2011).
Normal Sign and Symptoms of Rubella
Rubella begins as a red rash, which begins on the face and spreads quickly over the rest of the body. The rash is usually accompanied with a low-grade fever, swollen lymph nodes, however, other symptoms such as eye pain, sore throat, headache, muscular pains and nausea are also accompanying symptoms of rubella. The rash begins to coalesce and form “pinpoint papules” looking very similar to those of scarlet fever which usually last from 5-8 days (Yazdami et al., 2011).
Rubella Infection in Pregnancy
In pregnancy, the rubella virus progresses as it does in a non-pregnant woman, however, the virus affects the fetus as well. The rubella virus can cross the placenta, attacking the developing blood vessels of the fetus, which leads to organ ...
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...d Procedures. Retrieved from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/968523-followup#a2644
Ola, R. (2008). Rubella (acquired and congenital), Washington State Department of Health. Retrieved from http://www.doh.wa.gov/notify/guidelines/pdf/rubella.pdf
Duszack, R., S. (2009). Congenital rubella syndrome—major review. Optometry - Journal of the American Optometric Association, 80(1), 36-43. doi:10.1016/j.optm.2008.03.006
Strebel, P., Dabbagh, A., Gacic-Dobo M., Reef S. E., & Cochi, S. (2010). Progress toward control of rubella and prevention of congenital rubella syndrome – wordwide 2009. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 59(40):1307-1310. Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/730825
Yazdami, S., McGhee, S. A., & Stiehm, R. (2011). Chronic complex diseases of childhood: A practical guide for clinicians. Boca Raton, Florida: BrownWalker Press.
While it is rare to have a diagnosis in children younger than 12 years of age, it does happen. Average age of onse...
Background: Merck & Co. is an American pharmaceutical company and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. In 1971 the United States approved the use of an MMR vaccine made by Merck, containing the Jeryl Lynn strain of mumps vaccine. In 1978 Merck introduced the MMR II, using a different strain of the rubella vaccine. In 1997 the FDA required Merck to conduct effectiveness testing of MMRII. Initially it was over 95%; to continue the license; Merck had to convince the FDA that the effectiveness stayed at a similar rate over the years.
second event was the epidemic of rubella measles that occurred in the United States. This
The Measles starts with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat. It is then followed by a rash that spreads over the body, starting first on the face along the hairline. The infectious period of measles is 4 days before rash onset through 4 days after rash onset. The measles are a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus and spreads through the air through coughing and sneezing. (WHO, 2016). The measles virus can remain airborne for up to an hour after the infected person has left the area. The measles are so contagious that if one person has it, 90% of the unvaccinated people close to them will become infected. Rarely can the virus be deadly. The incubation period for
Each day researchers are finding out about vaccines and are realizing that there are a lot more risks than benefits. Dr Phillip F. Incao explains: “Today, far more children suffer from allergies and other chronic immune system disorders than from life-threatening infectious disease. It is neither reasonable nor prudent to persist in presuming that the benefits of any vaccination outweigh its risk” (qtd in Spaker). While infectious diseases are becoming uncommon there is no need for any person to get vaccinated. There have been many issues surrounding vaccinations all around the world.
can be prevented by a vaccine. In 20 - 30% of the cases the infection spreads
McMillan, Julia A., Ralph D. Feigin, Catherine DeAngelis, and M. Douglas Jones. Oski's Pediatrics, Principles & Practice. Williams & Wilkins, 2006.
The neurological disorder is generally diagnosed in children aged between six and twelve years, the condition affecting boys three times more often than girls (Hamilton, 2002; Gardner, 2008). Despite the fact that DCD affects roughly 6.4 percent of children, few individuals are familiar with the condition (Hamilton, 2002). In fact, a study by Kirby, Davies, & Bryant (2005) revealed that only 54.3% of teachers and 26.7% of general practitioners could accurately define DCD (p. 124). In response, the condition will be briefly outlined here.
Measles is a highly contagious disease. It is caused by an RNA virus that changes constantly. Measles symptoms usually include a bad cough, sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, sensitivity to light, and a very high fever. Red patches with white grain like centers appear along the gum line in the mouth two to four days after the first symptoms show. These patches are called Koplik spots because Henry Koplick first noticed them in 1896. The Spots are important to diagnose measles. A characteristic red rash in measles is red spots starting at the hairline and going down to the face, body, and limbs.
Though Syphilis can also be spread from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, this is referred to as congenital syphilis. Syphilis can lead to stillbirth or a low weight baby during pregnancy, and if left untreated a baby with syphilis can develop cataracts, deafness, or seizures and possibly death. Those who are most at risk for contracting syphilis are people who partake in unprotected sex, whether anally,
Vaccinations are not as dangerous as people make them seem, but not getting vaccinated is. Frances Childs states that “as the number of children who have not been immunized increases, so, too, does the likelihood of measles spreading”. Immunizations work by injecting a small amount of the virus into the patient (both children and adults). The patient’s immune system then builds up antibodies to fight against the virus, thus building immunity against the disease much more effectively. Vaccinations have a 90-100 percent chance of success.
Iannelli, Vincent. The “Interview with a Pediatrician.” About.com. Pediatrics. September 30, 2012.
Every woman when pregnant has a 3-5% chance of having a baby born with a birth defect, and these chances increase when the developing fetus/ embryos are exposed to teratogens, whether it’s intentional or unintentional (Bethesda (MD), 2006). Teratogens can cause severe birth defects, malformations, or terminate the pregnancy altogether (Jancárková, & Gregor, 2000). The placenta is known as an effective barrier from any detrimental pathogen that can potentially hurt the fetus. The timing of exposure of any teratogen is critical to the impact of prenatal development (Bethesda (MD), 2006). The most vulnerable time of the fetus for severe damage is during early pregnancy when all the major organ and central nervous system (CNS) are developing. Miscarriages have an important role in keeping a pregnancy from evolving when there is something serious going on with the developing fetus/embryo. Miscarriages are more common than we think and are the most familiar type of pregnancy loss (Bethesda (MD), 2006).