Incubation period for the rubella virus | Ringel rubella during pregnancy – symptoms and treatment

Incubation period for the rubella virus

The incubation period for the virus lasts only a few days and quickly leads to unspecific symptoms such as those of a cold. The typical rash develops only about 1-2 weeks after infection. Before that, however, there is already a risk of infection. This means that one remains contagious from the appearance of unspecific symptoms until the rash subsides. For this reason, rubella is often transmitted and spread unconsciously, since the affected persons do not even know that they are infected at the beginning of the disease.

Can I determine my immune status before pregnancy?

Anyone who has contracted rubella once in their life has developed enough antibodies so that a second infection with the virus is extremely unlikely. There is therefore a lifelong protection after a past infection. It is not part of the standard tests during or before pregnancy to determine the antibody titer. This is carried out when disease is suspected and should be reserved for this particular case. However, a check is also indicated within the framework of maternity leave in the case of professions that are particularly contact-prone.

Pathogen of the ringed rubella

The causative agent of ringworm is the parvovirus B19. It only leads to infections in humans, so that transmission is only possible from person to person. In the case of an infection with the typical characteristics of the disease, doctors speak of an “erythema infectiosum”, which means nothing other than that a pathogen-specific reddish rash manifests itself on the skin.

It is characteristic of the virus, as it takes on a garland-shaped appearance. However, the rash is considered harmless. Much more dangerous is the effect of the virus on the blood cells of the infected person.In the worst case, it can lead to anemia by attacking and destroying the red blood cells. As a rule, however, the symptoms remain purely flu-like.