Rubella Was Completely Wiped Out in Ireland

Despite our best efforts ever since the advent of modern medicine, our planet is still full of diseases. And this is despite decades of research and experiments, all aimed at eliminating the illnesses making their way through the world’s population. But we can do better. We have done far better.

In fact, we actually managed to completely wipe out a number of once-fatal diseases, although some samples still exist in laboratories somewhere. Still, we did do a pretty good job regarding those. And we might soon get rid of another disease completely, as rubella was completely wiped out in Ireland.

Ireland is free of rubella

Today, the World Health Organization was happy to announce that Ireland if fully and officially free of rubella. No more endemic transmissions of the disease are taking place in the country. The infectious disease was successfully wiped out from the country due to a combination of effective medical protocols and smart prevention.

According to WHO, the only way for the disease to return to the country would be if it was brought back in. Still, seeing as the disease was just wiped out, any subsequent infections would probably be quite easily disposed of. The best news is that pregnant women are now safe from the devastating effects of the disease.

Manifestation of rubella

More than 100,000 children get infected with congenital rubella syndrome every year all over the world. Usually following an infection of the mother during her pregnancy, the effects can be quite devastating. While mostly harmless to adults, it can cause very serious issues if contracted during pregnancy.

Stillbirths and miscarriages are only some of the ways rubella can manifest. It can also lead to small eyes, cataracts, hearing defects, holes in the heart, significant mental handicap, an underdeveloped brain, and deafness. Deafness is the most common symptom, and occasionally the only manifestation.

Country-wide MMR vaccines

Fortunately, the MMR vaccine works wonders against rubella. More than 95 percent of all the people who get the vaccine develop a lifelong immunity. The vaccine also offers protection against measles and mumps, making it one of the most useful vaccines developed by modern medicine.

It usually offered to all children when they turn one year old, and a second dose is administered when they are four or five years of age. It is thanks to this life-saving medication that Ireland is now completely free of the horrifying infectious disease, and the World Health Organization is hoping to accomplish this task and wipe out rubella on a worldwide scale.

Image source: Wikimedia

• About the Author

About Andreas Petersen

Andreas was too little to remember when he and his parents first set foot in America. He considers himself a true American citizen, but uses every opportunity to promote his Danish origins. He is deeply found of politics, all nations’ politics and generally looks forward to the presidential elections. His BA degree in Political Sciences has helped him get familiar to the constitutional frames of US and non-US nations.