Study of IgM seropositivity for Rubella virus in clinically suspected cases of Congenital Rubella infection

Objective: rubella during the early stages of pregnancy can lead to severe birth defects known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Samples collected from pregnant women with symptoms and suspected of congenital rubella infection between 1996 and 2008 were analyzed. Methods: a total of 23 amniotic fluid samples, 16 fetal blood samples, 1 product of conception and 1 placenta were analyzed by serology and RT-PCR. Results: all patients presented positive serology for IgG / IgM antibodies to rubella virus. Among neonates, 16 were IgG-positive, 9 were IgM-positive and 4 were negative for both antibodies. Of the 25 samples analyzed in this study, 24 were positive by RT-PCR. Changes in ultrasound were found in 15 (60%) of 25 fetuses infected with rubella virus. Fetal death and miscarriage were reported in 10 (40%) of the 25 cases analyzed. The rubella virus was amplified by PCR in all fetuses with abnormal ultrasound compatible with rubella. Fetal death and abortion were reported in 10 of 25 cases analyzed. Conclusion: this study, based on primary maternal rubella infection definitely confirms the good sensitivity and specificity of RT-PCR using amniotic fluid and ultrasound. The results showed that molecular assays are important tools in the early diagnosis of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome.

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Rubella Virus

10.1093/med/9780190604813.003.0013 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Emmaculate Lebo ◽

Susan Reef

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Rubella Virus ◽

Congenital Heart ◽

Heart Defects ◽

First Trimester ◽

Significant Progress ◽

Mental Impairment ◽

Rubella Infection ◽

Congenital Rubella ◽

Fetal Infection

Rubella infection in pregnant women, especially during the first trimester, can result in miscarriages, fetal deaths, stillbirths, or a constellation of congenital anomalies known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Infants born with CRS often present with a myriad of classical symptoms, including hearing impairment, congenital heart defects, cataracts, and mental impairment. The risk of developing a congenital defect is highest when the rubella infection occurs during the first 12 weeks of gestation. The risks associated with fetal infection are primarily in pregnant women who are not immune to the rubella virus; immunity is acquired through vaccination with a rubella-containing vaccine or develops naturally following infection with rubella virus. In 2010, approximately 105,000 children with CRS were born globally, with an estimated 49,229 and 38,712 CRS cases born in the Southeast Asia and African WHO regions, respectively. Significant progress has been made toward reducing the burden of rubella and CRS cases globally through the introduction of rubella-containing vaccines in many countries.

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Epidemiological evaluation of rubella virus infection among pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria

10.7287/peerj.preprints.790v1 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Olubusuyi M Adewumi ◽

Adebowale O. Olayinka ◽

Adebiyi B. Olusola ◽

Temitope O.C. Faleye ◽

Folorunso W. Sule ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Defects ◽

Rubella Virus ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Viral Disease ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Effective Control ◽

Political Commitment ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Rubella Infection ◽

Congenital Rubella

Abstract: Rubella is a vaccine-preventable, mild rash-inducing viral disease with complications that include a spectrum of birth defects in the developing foetus, especially if the infection is acquired in the early months of pregnancy. Consequently, the primary objective of global rubella control programmes is prevention of congenital rubella infection and associated birth defects often collectively referred to as congenital rubella syndrome.Despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines, and elimination of rubella virus in many developed countries substantial commitment to rubella control has not been demonstrated in the developing countries. This study appraises immunity to rubella, and consequently makes appropriate recommendations aimed at facilitating effective control. A cross-sectional sero-surveillance study was carried out among 272 consenting ante-natal clinic attendees in south-western, Nigeria. Prevalence rates of 91.54% and 1.84% were recorded for anti-rubella virus (anti-RV) IgG and IgM respectively. Also, 90.7% and 92.3% of the women aged ≤30 years and ›30 years respectively had detectable anti-RV IgG. No significant association (p=0.94) was recorded between anti-RV IgG detection and age of the women. Previous exposure and susceptibility of significant fraction of the population to rubella infection were confirmed. Considerable political commitment and promotion of free rubella immunization specifically for women with childbearing potential were recommended.

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Epidemiological evaluation of rubella virus infection among pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria

10.7287/peerj.preprints.790 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Olubusuyi M Adewumi ◽

Adebowale O. Olayinka ◽

Adebiyi B. Olusola ◽

Temitope O.C. Faleye ◽

Folorunso W. Sule ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Defects ◽

Rubella Virus ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Viral Disease ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Effective Control ◽

Political Commitment ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Rubella Infection ◽

Congenital Rubella

Abstract: Rubella is a vaccine-preventable, mild rash-inducing viral disease with complications that include a spectrum of birth defects in the developing foetus, especially if the infection is acquired in the early months of pregnancy. Consequently, the primary objective of global rubella control programmes is prevention of congenital rubella infection and associated birth defects often collectively referred to as congenital rubella syndrome.Despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines, and elimination of rubella virus in many developed countries substantial commitment to rubella control has not been demonstrated in the developing countries. This study appraises immunity to rubella, and consequently makes appropriate recommendations aimed at facilitating effective control. A cross-sectional sero-surveillance study was carried out among 272 consenting ante-natal clinic attendees in south-western, Nigeria. Prevalence rates of 91.54% and 1.84% were recorded for anti-rubella virus (anti-RV) IgG and IgM respectively. Also, 90.7% and 92.3% of the women aged ≤30 years and ›30 years respectively had detectable anti-RV IgG. No significant association (p=0.94) was recorded between anti-RV IgG detection and age of the women. Previous exposure and susceptibility of significant fraction of the population to rubella infection were confirmed. Considerable political commitment and promotion of free rubella immunization specifically for women with childbearing potential were recommended.

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Renal Lesions in Congenital Rubella

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.40.5.901 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 40 (5) ◽

pp. 901-904

Author(s):

MARGARET A. MENSER ◽

S. E.J. ROBERTSON ◽

D. C. DORMAN ◽

AILSA M. GILLESPIE ◽

A. M. MURPHY

Keyword(s):

Renal Function ◽

Rubella Virus ◽

Left Kidney ◽

Male Infant ◽

Rubella Infection ◽

Renal Lesions ◽

Congenital Rubella

Renal lesions have rarely been reported in congenital rubella. A male infant with classical rubella syndrome defects and agenesis of the left kidney is described. Rubella virus was present in his urine for 10 months. His renal function, although poor initially, improved progressively. It is suggested that congenital rubella infection was responsible not only for his renal defect but also for a slowly resolving nephritis.

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Epidemiology of rubella in Finland

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/esm.09.04.00459-en ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 11-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

I Davidkin ◽

H Peltola ◽

P Leinikki

Keyword(s):

Cohort Studies ◽

Vaccination Coverage ◽

Rubella Virus ◽

Vaccination Programme ◽

Finnish Population ◽

High Coverage ◽

Rubella Infection ◽

Congenital Rubella ◽

Antibody Levels ◽

Rubella Vaccination

Before rubella vaccination programmes began, rubella infection was prevalent in Finnish children. The disease occurred as epidemics at intervals of a few years. Rubella infection was most often contracted between the ages of 2 and 12 years. Vaccinations specifically aimed at eradicating rubella were begun with monocomponent vaccine in the mid-1970s, and the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination programme with two injections got underway in 1982. A clear reduction in rubella cases was evident a few years after the launch of the MMR programme. Owing to a sufficiently high vaccination coverage (>95% since 1987), circulation of the indigenous rubella virus in the Finnish population ceased in the late 1990s. Some rubella cases have been imported to Finland since elimination, but they have not caused any secondary cases. This shows unambiguously that protection against rubella continues to be effective, although our cohort studies imply that the vaccine induced antibody levels do decrease with time. The MMR programme has also eliminated congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) from the country. The last CRS case was recorded in 1986. As a result of the high coverage two dose MMR vaccination programme, rubella was successfully eliminated from Finland. How long the acquired protection will last remains to be seen.

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Prevention of congenital rubella infection

The Medical Journal of Australia ◽

10.5694/j.1326-5377.1984.tb108284.x ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 140 (11) ◽

pp. 636-638 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Margaret A. Menser

Keyword(s):

Rubella Infection ◽

Congenital Rubella

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Onset and severity of hearing loss due to congenital rubella infection.

Archives of Disease in Childhood ◽

10.1136/adc.64.9.1280 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 64 (9) ◽

pp. 1280-1283 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

N J Wild ◽

S Sheppard ◽

R W Smithells ◽

H Holzel ◽

G Jones

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Rubella Infection ◽

Congenital Rubella

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Quantitation of Rubella Virus Genome by QPCR and Its Application to Resolution for Mechanism of Congenital Rubella Syndrome

Modern Applications of DNA Amplification Techniques ◽

10.1007/978-1-4615-5379-3_10 ◽

1997 ◽

pp. 93-100 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shigetaka Katow ◽

Satoko Arai

Keyword(s):

Rubella Virus ◽

Virus Genome ◽

Congenital Rubella Syndrome ◽

Congenital Rubella

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Study of the teratogenicity of the vaccine strain of the Rubella virus «Orlov-V» (Matonaviridae: Rubivirus: Rubella virus) in experience on rhesus macaques

Voprosy Virusologii ◽

10.36233/0507-4088-2020-65-6-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 65 (6) ◽

pp. 357-363

Author(s):

I. N. Lavrentjeva ◽

O. A. Shamsutdinova ◽

I. I. Chugueva ◽

D. D. Karal-ogly ◽

O. I. Vyshemirskiy

Keyword(s):

Blood Serum ◽

Vaccine Strain ◽

Rubella Virus ◽

Rhesus Macaques ◽

Intrauterine Infection ◽

Preclinical Study ◽

Wild Type Virus ◽

Control Group ◽

Rubella Vaccine ◽

Congenital Rubella

Introduction. Rubella virus has pronounced teratogenic properties that can cause generalized and persistent intrauterine infection of the fetus. As a result, the control of the loss of teratogenicity inherent in «wild-type» virus strains is a necessary stage of a preclinical study of the vaccine strain for a live attenuated rubella vaccine.The purpose of the study is to comprehensively study the teratogenic properties of the vaccine strain of rubella virus «Orlov-V» in the experiment on rhesus macaques.Material and methods. Seronegative to rubella virus female rhesus macaques in early pregnancy at the age of 4–7 years (n = 13) were used in the experiment. Animals of the experimental group (n = 9) received single immunization intramuscularly with a preparation from the «Orlov-V» strain. The control group of the monkeys (n = 3) were immunized with a commercial vaccine containing Wistar RA27/3 strain. The female of the control group (n = 1) was injected with a solvent used in the rubella vaccine. Study of possible teratogenic properties of vaccine strains of rubella virus was carried out using a complex of clinical, immunological, pathomorphological and virological methods. Clinical observations were made within 3 months after the monkeys’ birth. Determination of antibody titers in the blood serum of immunized monkeys was performed in HI test on the 28th–30th day after infection. The ELISA method was applied to determine IgM antibodies in the blood serum of newborns within the first month of life. Detection of rubella virus RNA was performed by PCR with electrophoretic detection of amplicons.Results. No markers of congenital rubella infection were found in infants born from monkeys vaccinated during the pregnancy. It is shown that PCR can be an informative method to confirm the absence of teratogenic properties of vaccine strains of rubella virus.Discussion. The obtained data demonstrated that vaccine strains of the «Orlov-V» rubella virus and Wistar RA27/3 have lost their teratogenic properties. The possibility of using an alternative strategy for preclinical assessment of specific safety of antiviral vaccines including a complex of clinical, immunological, pathologic and virological methods instead of the classical pathologic method is discussed.Conclusion. The results obtained in this study showed the absence of teratogenic properties and high immunogenic activity of the vaccine strain of rubella virus «Orlov-V».

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