RUBELLA AND RUBELLA SYNDROME - NEW EPIDEMIOLOGIC AND VIROLOGIC OBSERVATIONS

  • 1 January 1965
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 102  (6) , 397-+
Abstract
Rubella and the Rubella Syndrome Now that the rubella virus has been isolated and grown in tissue culture, it is possible to study the spread of the disease, to determine apparent and inapparent infection rates and to investigate the nature of fetal infection. It has been found that the disease is a highly contagious one in the family setting, and that inapparent infections are more common than overt cases with rash. Infection of the fetus in the early weeks of intrauterine life may become chronic, and virus has been recovered from placenta and fetal specimens collected at induced abortions many weeks after the maternal disease. Infants born with the rubella syndrome are still shedding virus at birth and may continue to do so for at least several months. Gamma globulin has not been highly effective in the prevention of rubella when given to those exposed to the diesase and its control will have to depend on the development of an active vaccine.