Expected use
The One Step Rubella IgG / IgM Test is a rapid chromatographic immunoassay for the qualitative detection of antibodies (IgG and IgM) against rubella (virus) in serum or urine to aid in the diagnosis of RV infection. The test is based on immunochromatography and can give a result in 15 minutes.
Summary and explanation
Rubella is a herpes virus. Rubella is generally considered a mild illness of adolescence. However, a maternal infection could be transmitted through the placenta to the fetus, causing congenital rubella. Congenital rubella can cause chronic heart disease, growth retardation, hepatosplenomegaly, malformations, and other serious abnormalities. Children who are born asymptomatic can develop these abnormalities later in life.
To reduce the risk of such serious complications, accurate serologic methods must be performed to determine the serologic status of women of childbearing age. The presence of rubella-specific IgG in the bloodstream attests to immunity to rubella. A woman who is not immune to the test can be educated about the availability of the vaccine. An increase in rubella IgG denotes an acute infection and differentiates rubella from other exanthematous diseases. Pregnant women with current rubella infection should be counseled about the consequences of congenital infection.
