German Measles Virus Isolated

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30095, 1 April 1963, Page 12

German Measles Virus Isolated

’MWWWraNE, March 31. Melbourne’s Fairfield Hospital research staff has isolated the virus <rf German measles the disease which causes deformities in babies if contracted by mothers in the first three months of pregnancy.„ reports the Melbourne newspaper, the “Age.

The virus was isolated last year by Dr. t L. Buescher of the Walter Reed Hospital, in Washington, the newspaper laid. “However, apart from the confirmation of his results in a few centres in America and Canada, the Fairfield Hospital’s successful isolation of the virus is the first reported elsewhere in the world, the newspaper said. The medical superintendent at Fairfield (Dr. John Forbes) said that German measles (rubella) was a mild disease, the “Age" said. There was, therefore, a good chance that the natural virus could be used to provide a permanent immunity from childhood. “We had an epidemic of German measles last summer

which enabled us to collect specimens capable of yielding results. Dr. Forbes was quoted as saying that the importance of the research work could not be exaggerated. “If a mother contract* rubella or German measles, during the first three months of her pregnancy, the disease can produce deformities in her baby such as congenital cataracts, deafness and congenital heart disease,” he said. "Isolation of the virus represents the first step m providing a vaccine."