In vitro diagnostic (IVD) antibodies are essential raw materials for the development of immunodiagnostic kits. Remarkably, as a seasoned antibody service provider, Creative Biolabs offers customized IVD antibody development services targeting Rubella to aid in the development of diagnostic immunoassays.
Overview of Rubella
Rubella, also called German measles or three-day measles, is a contagious disease caused by the rubella virus. This infection is best known for its distinctive red rash. Most of all people who suffer from rubella frequently have a mild illness, with symptoms that include a sore throat, low-grade fever, and a rash starting on the face and later spreading to the rest of the body. But if this viral disease occurs during pregnancy, rubella could result in a miscarriage or serious birth defects to the unborn child when a woman is infected. Rubella virus is the only member of the Rubivirus genus and belongs to the Togaviridae family, whose members generally have a genome of single-stranded RNA of positive polarity enclosed by an icosahedral capsid. It is a causative agent of rubella or so-called German measles.
Only humans can be infected, while insects do not spread the rubella virus. Rubella is often spread via the air through coughs of infected patients. Despite most infections with a mild, self-limiting measles-like illness, the real threat will be arising (e.g. miscarriage or congenital rubella syndrome (CRS)) when rubella virus infects the fetus, particularly in the early trimester. People are infectious during the week before and after the presentation of rashes. Little babies with CRS may spread the pathogen for more than one year. The highly effective protection against rubella is measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, usually given to children twice in the United States before school age. Rubella is not the same as measles (rubeola), though these two do share some characteristics, such as the red rash. Measles is caused by a different virus and is neither as severe nor usually as infectious as rubella.
Basic Virology of Rubella
The rubella viruses are transmitted by respiratory routes and replicate in the nasopharynxes and lymph nodes. Subsequently, these viruses are observed in the blood 5-7 days after infections and spread around the body. At the earliest, the molecular structure of rubella virus was found by using antigen-antibody complexes under electron microscopy and then validated by thin section technologies. A further study characterizes assembled rubella viral particles as measuring between 50-85 nm in diameter.
Fig.1 Genetic influences on differences in rubella-induced immunity. (Lambert, N., 2015)
Rubella virus includes a pleomorphic nucleocapsid enveloped in a host-derived lipid membrane. E1 and E2, two proteinaceous spikes, are anchored to the external layer of the membrane. Among them, the E1 protein is an immunodominant antigen, and in charge of receptor-mediated endocytosis. The measurement of antibodies against the E1 neutralizing domain can be used as a correlative protection from rubella virus. And the protein of E2 is membrane-bound and builds connections between rows of E1 proteins. The molecular basis for the CRS causation is not completely clear yet. In vitro assays with cell lines reveal that rubella virus has an apoptotic effect on some cell types. There is evidence for a suggestion of the p53-dependent mechanism. To date, no definitive cellular receptor for rubella virus is ensured. More research into the confirmation of the putative host receptor for rubella virus will allow valuable insight into viral pathogenesis.
Treatments for Rubella
Rubella remains a common infection in many areas, also an important pathogen globally with about 100,000 cases of CRS estimated to occur each year. Immunization with a live attenuated vaccine against rubella virus has the ability to prevent infection and one of the feared complications, CRS. Although much progress has reached, rubella is still a public health concern worldwide.
Fig.2 Distribution of countries using rubella vaccine in their routine immunization schedule in 2012 and countries planning introduction during 2013-2015. (Lambert, N., 2015)
Through our role as a leading antibody service provider, Creative Biolabs is well-positioned to develop high-quality anti-Rubella antibodies. Besides antibody generation, Creative Biolabs also offers diagnostic immunoassay development services, including feasibility analysis, assay design, assay protocol establishment, assay optimization, and kit production.
Creative Biolabs has successfully completed numerous IVD antibody generation and development projects for clients across the globe. If you are interested in our IVD antibody discovery services, please contact us for more details.
Reference
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