Serological assessment of rubella during pregnancy.
In 45 patients with rubella-like illnesses during pregnancy serological tests showed that the clinical diagnosis had been accurate in only 20. Since only 16 of these patients had presented for laboratory investigations within a week of the onset of symptoms, the value of haemagglutination-inhibition tests was considerably reduced; the diagnosis in these cases was confirmed by complement-fixation and rubella-specific IgM tests.Of 172 patients exposed to a rubella-like illness, only 17 were seronegative; 105 sought advice within two weeks of exposure, and therefore the haemagglutination-inhibition antibody tests were useful in determining immunity. Since the clinical diagnosis of rubella was proved incorrect in a number of cases, these pregnancies were saved. Hence both doctors and patients should report both exposure to and rubella-like illnesses as early as possible, so that laboratory investigations may be carried out without delay.
D000032:Abortion, Therapeutic; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000382:microbiology; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012409:Rubella / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012698:Serologic Tests
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M