RUBELLA CAN BE TRANSMITTED FROM MOTHER TO BABY

Rubella is also known as german measles . It is a contagious and an acute childhood infection which is caused by a virus . Usually it is mild and of short duration ( approximately 3 days ) . It is accompanied by low grade fever , lymphadenopathy and maculopapular rash .  Infection in early pregnancy may result in serious congenital defects including death . The disease has a world wide distribution and tends to occur in epidemics in non industrialized population .

CAUSES

It is caused by rubella virus and is transmitted by the nasopharyngeal secretions of the affected person and also from the affected mother to the fetus . If transmitted during the first three months of pregnancy it may result in congenital abnormalities like blindness ( due to cataract and glaucoma ) , deafness and heart defects . In case of severe attack the fetus may die in the womb .

SIGNS

The signs and symptoms appear in 2 to 3 weeks . They include

Low grade fever

Thick nasal secretions

Rash first on the face and then on the arms and legs .

Inflammation of eyes

Joint pain

Weakness of the whole body

TREATMENT

Rubella has no treatment

Rest and paracetamol can be advised

PREVENTION

Try to stay away from the patients

Rubella vaccine is included in the EPI schedule which is given in the 9^th month of life , booster dose is given at 25^th month of life  

Use of rubella vaccination specially before marriage in girls is recommended

 

HIV : THE CULPRIT OF AIDS

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus . It is a virus that causes AIDS .  . This virus affects the immune system of the body and weakens it to such an extent that the body is unable to fight against simple infections and the patient gets vulnerable to various infections . So different infections take advantage of the weakened immune system . And the body gets diseased with any infection which comes in its way .

CAUSES

Multiple sexual partners

Unsafe sex

Using shared blades and syringes

Affected blood transfusion

From affected mother to child

Accidental inoculation from patient to health care worker

SIGNS

Persistence of fever , weakness , anorexia and weight loss

Diarrhea lasting for more than a week

Pneumonia

Easy fatigability

Depression and memory loss

Weight loss

Red brown spots on the skin , mouth or eyelids

Swollen eyelids

 

PREVENTION

Safe sex and use of condoms

Discarding needles after use

Screening blood carefully before transfusion and avoiding unnecessary blood transfusion

Preventing mother to child transmission by use of drugs and delivery by means of elective cesarean section