Viral antibody-titres were measured in 28 patients with Bell's palsy seen in Baghdad. These cases were selected to include only those seen within 24 hours from onset. No association with recent viral infection other than rubella virus was demonstrated. Four cases showed immunological evidence of simultaneous rubella virus infection but without other clinical evidence of the disease.

OBJECTIVE To measure the prevalence of anti-rubella IgG and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women in Kuwait in order to assess the effectiveness of the current vaccination programs. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This retrospective study involved 4,062 pregnant women evaluated in health centers in the Hawalli Province of Kuwait. They were screened for anti-rubella IgG and HBsAg using...

A total of 468 sera were selected for the evaluation of the Public Health Laboratory Service's IgM antibody capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit (MACELISA) for detecting rubella specific IgM. The results obtained were compared with those obtained by IgM antibody capture radioimmunoassay (MACRIA). Sera from patients with primary postnatal rubella, congenital rubella, remote rubella, inf...

Within two weeks after symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection a 32 year old man developed Still's disease and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, both of which have persisted for 24 months. Investigations failed to confirm acute infection but did show isolated persistent increase of serum antibodies to rubella virus. The simultaneous onset of these two diseases suggests a shared caus...

BACKGROUND Rubella is an infectious and generally mild childhood viral disease. The disease is of public health importance because infection acquired during early pregnancy often results in foetal abnormalities that are classified as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The burden of rubella infection in most developing countries in not well documented because of limited epidemiological data. How...

Childhood rubella infection in early pregnancy can lead to fetal death or congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) with multiple disabilities. Reduction of transmission via universal vaccination can prevent CRS, but inadequate coverage may increase CRS numbers by increasing the average age at infection. Consequently, many countries do not vaccinate against rubella. The World Health Organization recomm...

INTRODUCTION Rubella is generally a mild rush fever disease when acquired in childhood, but when infection occurs during the first months of pregnancy, high risk of trans-placental transmission to the foetus and of congenital anomalies exists. In November 2003, a National Plan for measles and congenital rubella elimination was approved in Italy. The aim was to reduce and maintain Congenital Rub...

INTRODUCTION We reviewed the epidemiological features of rubella in Singapore and the impact of the national immunisation programme in raising the population herd immunity against rubella, with special reference to females in the reproductive age group, and in the elimination of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). MATERIALS AND METHODS Epidemiological data on all reported cases of rubella and ...

Rubella is an acute, contagious viral infection caused by a teratogenic enveloped single-stranded RNA virus, rubella virus, a member of the togaviridae family. Though causing generally mild infections in children and adults, it is a disease of public health importance in pregnant women causing major problems including abortions, miscarriages, and congenital rubella syndrome in more than 20% of ...

A total of 468 sera were selected for the evaluation of the Public Health Laboratory Service's IgM antibody capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit (MACELISA) for detecting rubella specific IgM. The results obtained were compared with those obtained by IgM antibody capture radioimmunoassay (MACRIA). Sera from patients with primary postnatal rubella, congenital rubella, remote rubella, inf...