Question

True about the TRIAD of congenital rubella syndrome

• A. PDA, cataract and deafness is seen
• B. Hepatosplenomegaly, mental retardation, deafness
• C. Chorioretinitis, multiorgan failure, pneumonitis
• D. None of these

Hint:

Heart defect plus cataract plus deafness is the signature of congenital rubella.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) develops in the fetus of a pregnant woman who contracts rubella, usually in the first trimester; infection 0-28 days before conception still carries about a 43% risk to the infant. Step 2: The classic triad of CRS is patent ductus arteriosus (PDA, a cardiac defect), cataract (an ocular defect), and sensorineural deafness, which matches option a. Step 3: Second-trimester infection may cause deafness alone, and infection after 6 weeks of gestation typically produces no major abnormalities, underlining that timing drives severity. Step 4: Option c describes the toxoplasmosis spectrum, and hepatosplenomegaly with mental retardation are non-specific, so neither captures the defining rubella triad; option a is correct.