Research Paper on Rubella

Introduction

Over the years, there has been an improvement on how diseases are managed and controlled. Rubella is one of the "stubborn" diseases which is not treatable. I am of the view that recent advancements in technology have aided a lot in the eradication of Rubella. In the essay, proof that technology has done so is elaborated further.

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Rubella is also called the German measles or the three-day measles. It is a contagious disease caused by a viral infection. It is best known because of its distinctive red rash. It was first noticed in 1814 by George Maton. At first, it was characterized by adenopathy, a rash, and little or no fever. In 1866, Henry Veale named the disease Rubella. There was very little that was done on the infection until 1942. It was the year when Norman Gregg observed that the first-trimester maternal rubella was causing severe defects upon birth. There was little clarification on the infection until 1962 when the virus was isolated in tissue culture. The isolation was done by two main groups mainly, Parkman, Buescher, and Artenstein; and Neva and Weller. In 1964, there was a Rubella epidemic. It affected about one %of the pregnancies. Most of the technology then was dedicated to concentrating on investigating the consequences of the infection. Recently, there have been various manifestations of the congenital rubella infection (CRI). They include bone lesions, hepatitis, neural thrombocytopenic purpura, meningoencephalitis and late-emerging sequelae such as diabetes mellitus and progressive rubella panencephalitis added to the cataract, heart disease, mental retardation, and deafness. Additionally, over the past years, it has been observed that there were sharp differences in not only the patterns of the excretion of the virus as well as the response of the immunity between the postnatal and congenital rubella. The significant advancement regarding the disease is that there was an invention of the vaccine in 1969 which reduced the prevalence cases and also it was declared eliminated in the US in 2004 (NCBI).

Epistemology

The disease is most prevalent in pregnant women. The infection is usually mild. It causes severe damage to the unborn child. The disease is preventable. The disease is contagious. It is transmitted when a person coughs or sneezes near an uninfected person. On the other hand, if a woman is infected when she is pregnant, it is possible for her to pass it on to the developing baby which may lead to severe harm. The rubella patient can spread the disease up to even one week before the rash appears. The patient will also remain contagious even seven days after the appearance of the rash. According to statistics, 25% -50% of the infected persons do not show any symptoms or develop the rash (Mayo Clinic).

As a precaution, the patients with the infection should inform their family, workmates, and friends.

Pathology

Despite the fact that rubella is a mild infection, sometimes it causes very severe complications. Once exposed to the infection, one becomes completely immune to it. In most cases, affected women usually have arthritis in the knees, wrists, and fingers. On average, it lasts for one month. Rarely, it is possible to have brain inflammation known as encephalitis or an ear infection known as otitis media. The unborn child to is exposed to higher risks. When the mother is exposed within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, up to 90% of the babies are born congenital rubella syndrome. The problems associated with the syndrome are quite significant. They include retardation of growth where the child is slow in both mental and physical growth. The child is also likely to develop cataracts. Deafness and congenital heart diseases are another effects of the syndrome. It is also possible that the child could turn blind and have a damaged spleen or liver which could have a grave impact on the child's health. In severe cases, the infection can lead to the death of the growing baby which eventually gives rise to a miscarriage (Centre of Disease Control and Prevention).

The infection has various ways of manifesting itself. The signs and symptoms rarely manifest themselves in children as it is mild. However, a red rash is one of the most significant symptoms of the infection. It first appears on the face before spreading to the rest of the body. The rash lasts for about three days. Other symptoms may manifest before the rash. These are a low-grade fever, redness or swelling of the eyeball. The lymph nodes may become enlarged and swollen. A cough and a running nose are also symptoms to take note of. In adults, rubella can cause the rash, a sore throat, a low-grade fever, and general discomfort. Treatment of the infection is not by any medication. The virus often goes away when the patient has enough bed rest and intake of plenty of fluids. Medicine such as paracetamol acetaminophen can be taken to reduce pain and the fever.

Socio-Politico-Economic Effects

The treatment of the infection does not affect the patient as it mainly involves bed rest. On the other hand, it is better to prevent the infection. Vaccination is the best way to do so. Vaccination can be done in two forms. The first method is where the vaccine is combined with that of measles and mumps. It is recommended for children of 1 year. The second method is where the vaccine is combined with that of measles and chickenpox. It is much stronger and is advisable for children of 1.5 years (Mayo Clinic).

From the above facts, it is evident that there is a little-known advancement in the treatment of the infection.

Works Cited

Centre of Disease Control and Prevention. "Signs and Symptoms." 15 September 2017. www.cdc.gov/rubella/about/symptoms. Doc. 7 April 2018. <https://www.cdc.gov/rubella/about/symptoms.html>.

Mayo Clinic. "Rubella." 20, March 2015. www.mayoclinic.org. Doc. 7 April 2018.

NCBI. "The history and medical consequences of rubella." n.d. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Doc. 7 April 2018.