What does rubella igg positive mean? Rubella virus (rubella), IgG antibodies, quantitative, blood

The scientific name for rubella is rubella or German measles. This acute viral infection has been familiar to humanity since the Middle Ages. The causative agent of rubella is a bacterium from the genus Togavirus. The virus is transmitted by airborne droplets. You can become infected with German measles through close contact with an infected person.

If you had to care for a sick child, make sure that all dishes and things are subjected to heat treatment, because outside the human body the rubella virus dies at temperatures above 55 degrees.

This disease occurs in every corner of the world, and most often in children. If you had rubella as a child, consider yourself lucky. This will not have any negative consequences for the body.

But rubella during pregnancy can lead to the development of defects in the fetus or cause a miscarriage. Therefore, if you were not “lucky enough” to have this disease in early childhood, you need to take this fact into account when you plan your pregnancy.

The insidiousness of this disease is that it has a rather long incubation period. That is, an infected person is unaware of rubella for three weeks, until a characteristic rash appears on the skin.

I like!

What kind of analysis is this?

Rubella virus causes rubella– an acute viral infectious disease that mainly affects children, and in rare cases adults. It poses the greatest danger to pregnant women, as it can lead to severe congenital malformations of the child, and even fetal death is possible. Therefore, determining antibodies to the rubella virus is very important when planning pregnancy. It may indicate the presence of immunity to this virus or a previous illness.

What biomaterial can be used for research?

Venous blood.

Rubella (lat. rubella) - an epidemic viral disease with an incubation period of about 15-24 days. It is usually a harmless disease that mainly affects children, but it can cause serious birth defects if a woman becomes infected early in pregnancy.

Unvaccinated children aged 2-9 years are most often affected. Rubella is especially dangerous in the first 3 months of pregnancy - in this case, severe congenital malformations of the child often develop, and intrauterine fetal death is possible. In general, rubella is more severe in adults than in children.

Rubella symptoms

A mild form of rubella usually does not require hospitalization. Its symptoms are similar to those of the common cold and include tin pain, red eyes. A characteristic symptom is a rash in the form of flat pink spots, which appear primarily on the face, and then spread to the body and limbs. It usually disappears within a few days. In some cases, more often in adults, inflammation occurs in the joints, accompanied by arthralgia. In some cases, the lymph nodes behind the ears and on the neck become enlarged.

A characteristic symptom is a rash in the form of flat pink spots

Sourceinfections: The pathogen Rubella virus belongs to the family Togaviridae, genus Rubivirus. The source of infection is a person with a clinically pronounced or erased form of rubella.

Transmission routes- airborne (when talking to a patient, kissing) and vertical (from mother to fetus). A contact route of infection is also possible - through children's toys.

Complications rubella

Complications are extremely rare and occur in children with immunodeficiency.

These include:

• pneumonia
• otitis
• arthritis
• sore throat
• thrombocytopenic purpura.

Very rarely (mainly in adults) brain lesions occur - encephalitis and meningoencephalitis. Rubella in pregnant women does not pose a serious danger to the expectant mother, but significantly increases the risk of fetal malformations.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment. Seronegative girls are recommended to be vaccinated at puberty (Puberty is the period of puberty. A girl’s puberty begins at the age of 8-12 and in a certain sequence). For symptomatic treatment, use is allowed paracetamol.

This test detects antibodies to rubella in the blood.. They are produced in response to infection by a virus. There are two types of antibodies: IgM and IgG. The production of IgG antibodies takes a little longer than IgM antibodies, but once it occurs, the antibodies remain in the blood for life, protecting a person from re-infection. The presence of IgG antibodies may indicate that you have already had rubella or that the rubella vaccine provides the necessary protection.

Rubella is spread through the air and usually appears mild as a small red rash that appears on the face and neck and then spreads to the torso and limbs before disappearing after a few days, although symptoms such as fever, lymph nodes, runny nose, red eyes and joint pain.

However, in most patients, rubella goes away within a few days without any special treatment and does not cause further health problems. The main danger is that a pregnant woman comes into contact with the rubella virus for the first time during the first trimester of pregnancy - the developing fetus is most vulnerable to rubella at this time. If the virus is passed from mother to fetus, it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and/or the development of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), a group of serious developmental defects that can cause developmental delays, mental retardation, deafness, cataracts, microcephaly, and liver problems. and heart defects.

Why is analysis carried out?/Increasing and decreasing indicators

• To test immunity to the rubella virus.
• To detect infections, including those suffered in the past.
• To identify those who have never been exposed to the virus and those who have not been vaccinated.
• To ensure that pregnant women (or those who are just planning a pregnancy) have sufficient anti-rubella antibodies to protect against infection.

When is the study scheduled?

• When planning or managing pregnancy.
• If rubella immunity testing is necessary.
• When a pregnant woman develops fever and rash and/or other symptoms of rubella. Since many diseases cause similar symptoms, the doctor should order tests that will help confirm this particular diagnosis.
• If the infant has congenital malformations (hearing loss, cardiovascular disorders, cataracts, diseases of the central nervous system) that may be associated with CRS, or if the mother was diagnosed with rubella during pregnancy.

Because it takes some time for rubella IgG antibodies to develop after infection, your doctor may order tests again after 2 to 3 weeks to see if antibodies show up (if they weren't present initially) or to assess whether their levels are rising or falling over time.

Results/Normal/Transcript of analysis

Reference values: 0 - 10 IU/ml.

Negative result

• Lack of stable immunity to the rubella virus.
• Recent infection (no immune response has been developed).

Positive result

• Current or past rubella.
• Having immunity to the rubella virus.

Presence of IgG antibodies in the absence of IgM antibodies

Blood is taken from a vein to test for rubella antibodies.

Result: IgM - so much at such and such a norm (or “not detected”), IgG - so much at such and such a norm. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the concept of “norm” in this case should be understood as a “reference value”, that is, a certain point of reference, and not at all a normal situation.

Your analysis says:

• There is no IgM, IgG is five times higher than normal: there is immunity to rubella, this is good.
• There is no IgM, IgG is slightly higher than normal: there is weak immunity to rubella, the disease is possible in the future, it is better to get vaccinated.
• No IgM, IgG below normal: no immunity: you definitely need to get vaccinated against rubella and protect yourself for three months.
• IgM is higher than normal or “detected”: the process is active, you have rubella, you cannot become pregnant until the IgM disappears. IgG antibodies are not important for pregnancy planning.

Rubella is a disease that cripples unborn children.

Rubella (old - German measles, measles rubella) is a highly contagious viral disease, manifested by a rapidly spreading rash on the skin, enlarged lymph nodes (especially the occipital ones), usually a slight increase in temperature. In children, up to 90% of cases of the disease occur without visible symptoms. The infection has an autumn-spring seasonality.

Rubella is transmitted by airborne droplets. The incubation period is 1-2 weeks; a sick person is contagious 7 days before the rash appears and up to 7-10 days after the rash.

The rash first appears on the face, gradually covering the entire body. Swelling of the occipital lymph nodes is typical. Symptoms of acute respiratory illness may occur. In general, the disease in children is mild, complications are rare. The most dangerous complication is rubella (like measles) encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), its frequency is 1: 5000-1: 6000 cases.

In adolescents and adults, rubella is much more severe. Fever, symptoms of intoxication (malaise, fatigue) are more pronounced, and eye damage (conjunctivitis) is noted. Characteristic for adults (with greater frequency in women) is damage to small (phalangeal, metacarpophalangeal) and, less commonly, large (knee, elbow) joints. During one of the epidemics, complaints of pain in the testicles were common.

Most patients do not require special treatment. Medicines are used to treat symptoms and complications that alleviate the general condition. After an illness, lifelong immunity develops, but its intensity may decline with age and under the influence of various circumstances. Thus, a history of rubella in childhood cannot serve as a 100% guarantee against recurrent disease.

The disease in a pregnant woman leads to infection of the fetus. Depending on the stage of pregnancy at which infection occurs, the fetus has a varying probability (in the first trimester the probability reaches 90%, in the second - up to 75%, in the third - 50%) multiple malformations are formed. The most typical are damage to the organ of vision (cataracts, glaucoma, corneal opacities), the organ of hearing (deafness), and the heart (congenital defects). Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) also includes defects in the formation of the bones of the skull, brain (small brain size, mental retardation), internal organs (jaundice, enlarged liver, myocarditis, etc.) and bones (areas of rarefied bone tissue of long tubular bones). In 15% of cases, rubella in pregnant women leads to miscarriage or stillbirth. If rubella is detected, an artificial termination of pregnancy is always carried out.

During the last rubella epidemic in the United States, recorded in the 1960s (followed by the introduction of routine childhood rubella vaccination in 1968), there were 12.5 million cases of rubella and 20 thousand cases of CRS. More than 11 thousand children with CRS were deaf, 3850 lost their sight, and more than 1800 children had mental development defects.

It is estimated that in Russia every fifth woman (in Moscow - every third) does not have sufficient immunity against rubella. There has been a steady increase in incidence among adults. As a result, in Russia, about 15% (taking into account the lack of widespread and routine diagnostics and the fact that up to 90% of all infections in adults are asymptomatic, this figure may be higher) of all congenital deformities is caused by rubella. In practice, the detection rate of CRS in Russian regions is 2-5 per 1000 live newborns.

According to WHO estimates, rubella cripples about 300 thousand children on the planet every year.

Principles of vaccination against rubella when planning pregnancy

There are three main approaches to eradicating rubella and CRS: vaccinating children, vaccinating adolescent girls, and vaccinating women of childbearing age planning to have children. The first strategy is effective against rubella itself, but does not completely solve the problem of CRS (this will require 20-30 years), since according to available data, vaccination protects for about 20 years, which means that theoretically it can shift the incidence of rubella to childbearing age. The second strategy, vaccinating teenage girls at 11-14 years of age, is effective in eradicating CRS (although it will take 10-20 years to achieve this goal), but does not solve the problem of rubella incidence in general (in Russia, the peak occurs at the age of 7-14 years). Vaccination of women is extremely effective in combating CRS (although achieving 100% coverage of the adult population is practically impossible), but it also does not solve the problem of rubella itself.

Because of these considerations, WHO recommends a combination of all three strategies whenever possible. An example of such a combination is the United States, where in addition to vaccinating children, vaccination is carried out in colleges and the armed forces. In Russia, in some regions, vaccination of children and adolescents is combined. An interesting way out of the problem of vaccinating women of childbearing age was found in France - a refusal to register a marriage in the absence of a stamp of vaccination against rubella, or a record of a previous infection.

Diagnosis of rubella is based on identifying characteristic symptoms (rash, enlarged occipital lymph nodes) and laboratory detection of antibodies to the rubella virus. In diagnosis, two types of antibodies are important - IgM and IgG, which are essentially acute-phase and long-term, respectively.

In acute infection, IgM antibodies are of diagnostic value; they are detected from the first days of infection and disappear after 1.5 months. after its onset and do not appear upon contact with the virus in a person who already has immunity. In controversial cases, 2 samples are taken with an interval of 10-15 days, and if in the second sample the increase in IgM concentration is more than 30%, a final diagnosis of a primary infection is made.

The presence of IgG antibodies in the blood may indicate either the presence of immunity after long-term contact with the virus, or confirm the fact of acute infection at relatively late stages (starting from 2 weeks from the onset of the disease). The question of whether the detection of IgG antibodies in the blood is a sign of acute infection or pre-existing immunity is also resolved using the paired serum method. If IgM is not detected in the second sample, and the IgG concentration has increased by more than 30%, then this is a sign of “re-vaccination” with the virus in a person who already had immunity. Determining the concentration of IgG antibodies also helps to decide whether vaccination is necessary.

The concentration of antibodies necessary for immediate protection against infection (and therefore vaccination in this case is definitely not required) is considered to be values ​​above 25 IU/l or, in terms of titers, values ​​from 1:400 and above (1:800 and beyond). In one type of test, the amount of IgG is determined as an index, values ​​of which less than 1 are interpreted as a lack of immunity.

Red rashes on the body, febrile body temperature, inflamed lymph nodes, headache, general malaise. These signs indicate infection with a viral disease called rubella. The causative agent of the pathology is Rubella Togaviridae. Most often, it affects children 1-9 years old who have not been vaccinated against the virus. Adults get sick less often. You can become infected by airborne droplets, through contact with a carrier of the virus, household items, toys, etc.

This disease poses a particular danger to women carrying a child, as it is considered a TORCH infection, transmitted through the placenta and dangerous to the fetus. To prevent infection with the Rubella virus, it is important to get tested for rubella in a timely manner.

When is it necessary to diagnose an infection?

A blood test for rubella is one of the four mandatory diagnostics indicated during pregnancy, since transplacental infection of the embryo is possible. Rubella infection in the first trimester of pregnancy is especially dangerous, threatening the development of multisystem congenital pathologies, often leading to fetal death. The risk of complications continues into late pregnancy.

Often the disease during pregnancy is asymptomatic, but intrauterine changes can lead to irreversible consequences for the fetus. Therefore, the indications for taking a blood test for rubella are pregnancy planning (it is advisable to undergo an examination 2-3 months before conception), as well as the following signs:

• first month of pregnancy;
• identifying symptoms of intrauterine infection;
• fetoplacental insufficiency;
• enlarged cervical, occipital and postauricular lymph nodes;
• red spots all over the body, with the exception of the palms and feet.

Infection with rubella in the first week of pregnancy in 80% of cases ends in infection of the embryo, at 2-4 weeks - in 60%, at 5-8 weeks - in 30%, in the last weeks the risk decreases to 10%. The fetus's vision, hearing, as well as the cardiovascular and circulatory systems are most affected.

If you are not sure that you have been vaccinated or do not remember that you have previously had rubella, it is better to get tested for rubella antibodies at the stage of pregnancy planning. A positive test (the presence of antibodies in the blood) will guarantee the protection of the embryo from possible infection during pregnancy. If antibodies to the Rubella virus are not detected, a prophylactic vaccination of the expectant mother is indicated, which is safe to do only before conception.

Types of research

When infected with a virus, the immune system actively produces antibodies - immunoglobulins (IgM) on the 3-4th day, the number of which becomes maximum by the 3rd week of infection with the Rubella virus, speaking of the acute stage of the disease and disappearing after 2-3 months. 3 days after the appearance of class M proteins, immunoglobulins of group A and G are produced, remaining in the body forever and providing immunity to the virus. They actively fight the acute stage of the disease and prevent pathology from developing when the infection re-enters the body.

In medicine, there are several types of diagnosing rubella:

1. Serological study by radial diffusion reaction (RDD) and hemagglutination inhibition. Serology is not always accurate: false values ​​are recorded in 25% of patients, making it impossible to determine the type of antibodies, phase and duration of the disease.
2. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or ELISA, is considered the most reliable method for detecting the rubella virus carrier today. It allows you to most accurately determine the presence of antibodies to Rubella Togaviridae, their type and stage of infection. Pregnant women and children under 14 years of age are usually referred for ELISA.
3. The PCR technique - polymesic chain reaction - is also recognized as effective and the most accurate, helping to determine even the slight presence of rubella virus RNA. For diagnosis, blood from the veins is required; in case of transplacental infection, umbilical cord blood is taken.

According to statistics, most people resort to ELISA diagnostics. The PCR method is used less frequently, mainly to re-confirm/refute previously conducted studies, since its implementation requires special equipment, and it is also an expensive procedure.

How to get tested for rubella? The study does not require special preparation. Like a general blood test, diagnostics for rubella antibodies is carried out on an empty stomach, in the morning. It is advisable to refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages, as well as fatty, spicy and salty foods the day before. Such diagnostics are performed in any clinical diagnostic laboratory located at the place of residence upon the direction of the attending physician.

What do the test results say?

Simultaneous testing for immunoglobulins M and G will help to obtain a complete clinical picture.

The analysis for the presence/absence of the Rubella virus is deciphered by a specialist. However, the main indicators and values ​​​​presented in the table will help you independently draw an approximate conclusion about the presence/absence of immunity, as well as the stage of the disease:

Avidity values ​​(the ability of Ig antibodies to kill the rubella virus) of less than 50% and more than 70% are considered normal.

If, after being tested for rubella, there are no antibodies in the blood, the vaccine must be administered before planned conception. Immunity after vaccination lasts 5 years. After an infection, immunity remains for life.

Less than 50% avidity is evidence of an acute infection that affected the body more than 3 months ago. A positive test for acute rubella does not require antiviral treatment, since there are no medications that effectively treat rubella infection. As a rule, for rubella, therapy is used to relieve acute symptoms.

A false positive result indicates an avidity of 50% to 69%. In this case, a repeat study is necessary after half a month.

Avidity values ​​equal to 70% and above signal strong immunity and safe conception of a child.

If, after the test, no antibodies to rubella are found in the blood, then before planning the birth of a child, it is necessary to administer the vaccine. Immunity after vaccination lasts 5 years. If you have previously had rubella, the antibodies will be present in your blood for life.

In contact with

Rubella is an infection that occurs as a result of a virus. Rubella infection occurs through airborne droplets. The disease has no age restrictions, however, it is most dangerous to get it during pregnancy, since the infection will be transmitted to the baby, which can cause pathologies from birth. To find out if you have the disease, you need to get tested for rubella during pregnancy.

Symptoms of rubella during pregnancy

The symptoms of the disease in a pregnant woman will not be any different from the disease of any adult. The very first signal will be an enlargement of the lymph nodes on the back of the head, neck, and less often in the groin area. The second sign will be a pinkish rash that appears, resembling acne to the touch. Before the second sign manifests itself, the pregnant girl will experience sensations similar to a cold, namely:

• runny nose;
• temperature increase;
• chills.

If you are around people with these symptoms during pregnancy, it is advisable to avoid contact with them, as they may be carriers of rubella.

Antibody detection

If you still had to come into contact with people who are carriers of infection, there is a need for medical supervision and detection of antibodies to rubella during pregnancy.

IgM	IgG	Decoding
Negative	Negative	Rubella was not found, however, the body did not develop immunity. Isolate yourself from carriers of infection. Repeat the test two weeks later. If the result is repeated, take additional tests after another 14 days. During the entire examination, supervision by specialists should be observed. If the result remains negative during the third test, the control is terminated, however, the pregnant woman will be warned that the body is susceptible to the disease.
Negative	Positive	The infection was suffered before pregnancy, as a result of which the body developed immunity. After 14 days you should undergo an additional analysis. An additional test is required to eliminate the possibility of a false positive result. If the result persists, the risk of fetal infection is completely eliminated.
Positive	Negative	The disease has been identified and the infection appeared recently. During treatment, repeat tests will be taken every two weeks to monitor the disease.
Positive	Positive	The stage of the disease is advanced. The pregnant woman will be warned about the high risk of congenital pathologies in the baby. After 2 weeks, the analysis is taken again to determine the results of treatment. If the result persists, the issue of induced abortion will be considered. The decision will be made by the mother of the fetus.

As it turned out, rubella antibodies during pregnancy can be positive or negative, their combination indicates the presence or absence of immunity.

Consequences after infection

If infection occurs in the first 2 months of pregnancy, the risk of infection of the fetus is 80%, and the risk of serious pathologies is 25%.

Infection with rubella can kill a child during birth, as well as develop pathologies such as:

• complete deafness;
• heart disease;
• reduced eyeball/brain size;
• critically low weight;
• anemia;
• blindness;
• increased liver size.

Often, if the lesion occurs before 4 months, specialists insist on abortion. If the infection occurs at any other time, the pathology may become a rash on the body, which will disappear completely with age.

Important: if the mother has suffered a severe form of the disease, but the baby is born completely healthy, it is worth considering that the virus remains in his body for two years, so it is extremely necessary to carry out constant monitoring and preventive treatment.

Prevention before pregnancy

To save yourself from possible worries, treatments and decisions about preserving the fetus, it is advisable to carry out prevention and get tested in advance. It is especially recommended to undergo an antibody test if the disease has already been transferred (regardless of age). Doctors strongly recommend it for the reason that the results during the transfer could be false, therefore, the body could not develop immunity.

If antibody tests give results indicating that the body is protected by immunity, the doctor will tell you that pregnancy can be planned. If the result suggests possible infection with the disease, experts recommend getting vaccinated, waiting a few weeks, then planning to conceive.

Vaccination before pregnancy

Women often wonder whether there is a need for rubella vaccination when planning a pregnancy. Vaccination is not mandatory, however, doctors often strongly recommend protecting yourself from the risk of infection. The consequences of the disease can be very serious and irreparable, and protection before pregnancy in the form of vaccination will reduce the risk of the disease to zero. If the result shows that immunity has already been developed, there is no need to undergo vaccination.

After vaccination, it is necessary to avoid the possibility of conception for a month, since the vaccine penetrates into the blood during this time. If a woman is already pregnant, vaccination is contraindicated.

Rubella is a serious and dangerous disease, from which it is advisable to protect yourself in advance. Both before and during pregnancy, when taking the test, it is recommended to undergo a repeat examination to accurately confirm the analysis.

If the result shows that the body is susceptible to damage, you should protect yourself as much as possible from the formation of rubella, since if you are careless, the consequences over time can be disappointing.