Rubella

Rubella - Acute
Rahul Soman, M. Pharm

 

 

Definition  

A viral disease characterized primarily by fever, exanthem, arthralgia, and lymphadenopathy; also know as German or 3-day measles

 

Medical History  

* Finding of immune status

 

Findings  

* Altered mental status

* Arthralgia

* Cervical lymphadenopathy

* Cough

* Effusion of joint

* Fever

* Headache

* Loss of appetite

* Maculopapular eruption

* Malaise

* Nasal discharge

* Palate finding

* Paresthesia

 

Tests  

 

Suspected and known rubella infection  

* Rubella antibody titer measurement: A positive IgM antibody test for rubella or a significant rise between acute- and convalescent-phase IgG titers by a standard serologic assay establishes a laboratory diagnosis of rubella infection .

 

Suspected rubella  

* Rubella virus culture

 

Suspected rubella  

* White blood cell count with differential: The WBC count in patients infected with rubella virus is generally characterized by leukopenia that is further distinguished by a relative neutropenia .

 

Differential Diagnosis  

* Scarlet fever

* Measles - Acute

* Viral exanthem

* Expanded rubella syndrome

* Infectious mononucleosis - Acute

* Erythema infectiosum - Acute

* Rubella encephalitis

* Roseolar erythema

* Rheumatoid arthritis

* Gonorrhea - Acute

* Rocky Mountain spotted fever - Acute

 

Treatment  

 

Drug Therapy  

 

 

Fever  

 

ACETAMINOPHEN (Related toxicological information in ACETAMINOPHEN-ACUTE, ACETAMINOPHEN-REPEATED SUPRATHERAPEUTIC)  

Adults: 650 to 1000 mg orally every 4 to 6 hours as needed (maximum 4 g/day)

Pediatrics: 10 to 15 mg/kg orally or rectally every 4 to 6 hours as needed (maximum 5 doses or 4 g/day)

Neonates: 10 to 15 mg/kg orally or rectally every 6 to 8 hours as needed

 

Procedural Therapy  

 

Rubella  

* Isolation procedure: Patients infected with rubella need to be isolated from persons who are susceptible to the disease, especially pregnant women .

 

Reportable infectious diseases  

* Infectious disease notification: In the United States, specific infectious diseases must be reported to the state or local public health department .