Every thing you want to know about German Measles (Rubella/Three-day Measles)

German Measles (Rubella/Three-day Measles)

- mild viral illness caused by rubella virus.

- Causes mild feverish illness associated with rashes and aches in joints.

-Has a teratogenic effect on the fetus.

Incubation Period: 14-21 days

Period of Communicability

-communicable approximately 1 week before and 4 days after the onset of rashes.

- At its worst when the rash is at its peak.

Mode of Transmission:

5. Direct contact

6. Air droplets

7. Transplacental transmission

Clinical Manifestation

1. Prodromal Period

a.       low grade fever

b.      headache

c.       malaise

d.      mild coryza

e.      conjunctivitis

2. Eruptive Period

a.       Pinkish rash on the soft palate (Forchheimer’s spot), en exanthematous rash that appears first on the face, spreading to the neck, the arms, trunk, and legs

b.      Eruption appears after the onset of adenopathy

c.       Children usually present less or no constitutional symptoms.

d.      The rash may last for one to five days and leaves no pigmentation nor desquamation.

e.      Testicular pain in young adults.

f.        Transient polyarthralgia and polyarthritis may occur in adults and occasionally in children.

Nursing Management

1. The patient should be isolated.

2. The patient should be advised to rest in bed until fever subsides.

3. The patient’s room must be darkened to avoid photophobia.

4. The patient must take mild liquid but nourishing diet.

5. The patient’s eyes should be irrigated with warm normal saline to relieve irritation.

Prevention 

·         Administration of live attenuated vaccine (MMR).

·         Pregnant women should avoid exposure to patients infected with Rubella virus.

·         Administration of Immune Serum Globulin one week after exposure to Rubella.