Measles (Rubeola) Antibodies, IgG

Measles IgG antibodies

S measles is a contagious childhood disease caused by a virus in the Paramyxoviridae family.

S measles is spread by the airborne and droplet route. The virus is transmitted by secretions from the respiratory drg of infected people and is extremely contagious, persisting for many hours on the surfaces of objectsw.

The incubation time of measles is 10-14 days. The clinical picture of measles is characterized by a prodromal phase with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash (spreading from the head to the chest), whichs accompanied by cough and fever. After 4-5 days, the healing phase begins, during whichthe affected areas begin to peel off. In the absence of complications, all discomfort subsides within a maximum of 10 days, and the last symptom thatry disappears is coughing. Treatment consists of alleviating the symptomsy of the disease.

After contracting measles, there is an approximately one-month period of lowered immunity, during which special care should be taken. Pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals (e.g. chronically ill, undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, infected with HIV), as well as those with nutritional deficiencies, heart defects, and infants have an increased risk of developing complications such as pneumonia and central nervous system infections. Neurological complications of measles include early disseminated myocarditis and spinal cord inflammation and primary subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (PESS), Guillain-Barre syndrome .

Infection during pregnancy is not associated with the development of birth defects in the fetus, but can cause miscarriage or premature deliveryd. Infection in children under one year of age is milder, as they passively acquire antibodies to the measles virus from the mother.

As a result of the introduction of active immunization in the form of mandatory vaccination (MMR- vaccine against measles, mumps, rd), the incidence of measles has significantly decreased, but as a result of parentsd not vaccinating their children, epidemic outbreaks still occur in Poland.

Laboratory diagnosis of measles mainly involves determining the immune system's response (antibody production) against the virus antigens. Serological tests help determine the phase of infection (current, past) and assess the effectiveness of vaccination.

Measles IgG antibodies – when to perform the test?

The test is recommended for indications:

• diagnosis of measles, confirmation of the infection in a person with its clinical symptoms, rndiagnosis of it with other infectious diseases running with a rash (e.g. diphtheria, rgyko)
• confirmation of measles outbreak, surviving the infection provides immunity for the rest of life
• checking the antibody titer in the blood after vaccination, whichre provides immunity against the disease, especiallylly in women planning pregnancy, immunocompromised persons
• Identification of unvaccinated personsb in order to verify the need for vaccination.

Measles IgG antibodies – who should take the test?

Person with symptoms of measles, especiallyb unvaccinated in the past:

• fever,
• dry cough,
• atarrhea,
• rash on the buccal mucosaw (Koplik's spots)
• diffuse maculopapular dermatitisrna rash (vesicular rash)

Among the complications of measles may be bacterial superinfection, thrombocytopenic diathesis, inflammation of the mzygus, lungs, middle ear, diarrhea.

Symptoms of neurological complications of measles:

• convulsions
• Otic nerve damage, blindness
• dullness
• speech and behavioral disorders
• impotence, paralysis
• muscle spasms
• coma