Rubella (German measles)

• Mild, contagious viral illness.
• Likely to cause serious birth defects to an unborn baby of a pregnant woman who develops the disease in the first 3 or 4 months of pregnancy.
• Symptoms of mother-to-be include fever, muscle aches, stiff neck, fatigue, headache, reddish rash that develops on the second or third day of illness and lasts only 1 to 2 days, and swollen lymph glands in the neck.
• Spontaneous recovery occurs in 1 week in children, longer in adults.

Morbillivirus measles infection

Rubella in the U.S.

Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus. It is also called “German measles,” but it is caused by a different virus than measles. Rubella was eliminated from the United States in 2004. Rubella elimination is defined as the absence of continuous disease transmission for 12 months or more in a specific geographic area. Rubella is no longer endemic (constantly present) in the United States. However, rubella remains a problem in other parts of the world. It can still be brought into the U.S. by people who get infected in other countries.

Signs and Symptoms

In children, rubella is usually mild, with few noticeable symptoms. For children who do have symptoms, a red rash is typically the first sign. The rash generally first appears on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body, and lasts about three days. Other symptoms that may occur 1 to 5 days before the rash appears include: a low-grade fever

• headache
• mild pink eye (redness or swelling of the white of the eye)
• general discomfort
• swollen and enlarged lymph nodes
• cough
• runny nose

Most adults who get rubella usually have a mild illness, with low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Some adults may also have a headache, pink eye, and general discomfort before the rash appears. About 25 to 50% of people infected with rubella will not experience any symptoms

Complications

Up to 70% of women who get rubella may experience arthritis; this is rare in children and men. In rare cases, rubella can cause serious problems, including brain infections and bleeding problems.

The most serious complication from rubella infection is the harm it can cause a pregnant woman’s developing baby. If an unvaccinated pregnant woman gets infected with rubella virus she can have a miscarriage, or her baby can die just after birth. Also, she can pass the virus to her developing baby who can develop serious birth defects such as—

• heart problems,
• loss of hearing and eyesight,
• intellectual disability, and
• liver or spleen damage.
• Serious birth defects are more common if a woman is infected early in her pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. These severe birth defects are known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).

Transmission

Rubella spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Also, if a woman is infected with rubella while she is pregnant, she can pass it to her developing baby and cause serious harm. See Pregnancy and Rubella page to learn more.

A person with rubella may spread the disease to others up to one week before the rash appears, and remain contagious up to 7 days after. However, 25% to 50% of people infected with rubella do not develop a rash or have any symptoms.

People infected with rubella should tell friends, family, and people they work with, especially pregnant women, if they have rubella. If your child has rubella, it’s important to tell your child’s school or daycare provider

Treatment

There is no specific medicine to treat rubella or make the disease go away faster. In many cases, symptoms are mild. For others, mild symptoms can be managed with bed rest and medicines for fever, such as acetaminophen.

If you are concerned about your symptoms or your child’s symptoms, contact your doctor

Rubella (German measles) Resources
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