Rubella IgG (Measles)Antibodies

The IgG Rubella test is ordered if you are pregnant and have signs or symptoms which may indicate rubella infection like fever, rashes, inflamed eyes, aching joints, etc. It may be ordered when a newborn is born with birth defects such as hearing loss, heart defects or cataracts. The Rubella IgG test is a blood test that is helpful in the detection of the rubella virus, also known as the German measles. The test detects the presence of IgG antibodies against the rubella virus in the blood that is suggestive of a past infection. In the majority of people, it is found to cause mild fever and rash that recede in a few days. Most commonly, children are vaccinated for it with either the measles-mumps-rubella or chickenpox shots. The rubella virus is a member of the Togaviridae family. The virus is transmitted through the respiratory tract, following which it replicates in the nasopharynx and multiplies in the cervical lymph nodes. The incubation period of the disease-causing virus is 2 to 3 weeks, following which symptoms begin to appear. The condition can get quite serious in pregnant women. If pregnant women contract rubella during the first four months, it could hugely impact the baby. The child could be born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS), leading to auditory, ophthalmic and cerebral defects for life. Infection in pregnant women can also lead to stillbirths and miscarriages. Rubella was quite common in India earlier in the 21st century. Approximately 40 to 45 per cent of pregnant women are susceptible to rubella. Also, more than 2 lakh babies are born with defects due to rubella infection in India. India had initiated the world’s largest Measles-Rubella (MR) Campaign in 2017 that targeted 410 million children aged between 9 months to 15 years for vaccination. This reduced the prevalence of rubella infections significantly.