Ministry of Health confirms measles out break
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Wednesday August 27, 2014 16:02
In an interview with Mmegi, Ministry of Health principal public relations officer Doreen Motshegwa said there has been a suspected outbreak of Rubella since July. Rubella is commonly known as German measles.
It is an infection which primarily affects the skin and lymph nodes. It is caused by the rubella virus, which is different from the one which causes measles.
Rubella is airborne and contained in fluid droplets transmitted when infected people sneeze or cough. Motshegwa noted that the infection requires urgent medical attention.
“Once a person is infected, the virus spreads throughout the body within five to seven days. The symptoms usually appear two to three weeks after exposure. The most infectious period is usually the first three days after the appearance of the rash,” she said. She pointed out that while the infection is usually mild in children it is often accompanied by a rash, fever, nausea and mild conjunctivitis (red eyes). “A rash appears in 50 to 80% of the cases.
It usually begins on the face and neck before progressing to the whole body. It lasts two to three days,” she explained. Motshegwa said another symptom is swollen glands behind the ears and neck, which is the most characteristic clinical feature.
She added that adults, particularly women, infected with measles might also develop painful joints and arthritis which lasts three to ten days.
“When a woman is infected with the rubella virus early in pregnancy, she has a 90 percent chance of passing the virus on to her fetus.
This can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or severe birth defects known as Congenial Rubella Syndrome (CRS),” she noted. She said infants with CRS might excrete the virus for a year or more.
Motshegwa explained that the respiratory route transmits Rubella virus, and the virus initially replicates in the nasopharyngeal mucosa and lymph node. The incubation period ranges from 12 to 23 days. The virus can be found in nasopharyngeal samples a week before the onset of the rash with maximal shedding occurring one to five days after rash onset.
“Rubella virus mostly affects susceptible children and young adults worldwide. Most of the cases reported in several districts in Botswana were identified in primary schools and some health facilities. The age range of those affected was five to ten years old. As of August 1, 2014 there have been 254 positive Rubella cases recorded in the country,” she said.
She said although there is no specific treatment for Rubella, the disease can be prevented through vaccination, managing the present symptoms and isolating the victim and improving personal hygiene.
Motshegwa advised members of the public to wash their hands after using the bathroom and before meals, and to cover their noses when coughing or sneezing. She noted that the Department of Public Health plans to add vaccination against Rubella to the routine immunisation schedule.