What are measles, mumps and rubella?

Mumps and measles are highly contagious viral infections caused by a virus from the Paramyxoviridae family. Rubella is a viral infection caused by the rubella virus. Mumps, measles and rubella are typically childhood illnesses and can be vaccinated against. People with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to infections. Measles symptoms include a dry cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, a rash that typically starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body and white spots inside the mouth. Mumps symptoms include swelling of the salivary glands, headaches, fever and muscle aches. Rubella symptoms include runny nose, red eyes, headache, tender lymph nodes and a rash that spreads in a similar pattern to measles. Recovery from measles and mumps generally only takes a couple of weeks but serious complications may develop such as meningitis or encephalitis. Antibodies are produced by the body’s immune system to help fight infection against the virus. IgG antibodies are a particular type of antibody that offer long-term protection against pathogens after initial exposure. The presence of IgG antibodies indicates immunity. This may be a result of a previous infection or from vaccination.  

Why take the test?

This test detects the presence of measles, mumps and rubella IgG antibodies in the blood and can be used to check immunity to these infections.