What is rubella

A pink or red-spotted rash is often the first sign of infection. It starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. The rash lasts about 3 days. This is why rubella is sometimes called the "3-day measles." Along with the rash, you or your child might have: • A mild fever -- from 99 F to 100 F • Swollen and pink-colored • • • Stuffy, • • Sore joints (more common in young women) • General discomfort • Lymph nodes may be swollen and enlarged Causes of Rubella Rubella is caused by a virus. It used to be called "German measles," though it’s not caused by the same virus that causes Transmission of Rubella Rubella spreads when someone who is infected Some people don't know they're infected because they don't have symptoms, but they can still pass the virus to others. If you’ve been diagnosed with rubella, tell the people who’ve been around you, especially any pregnant women. Rubella Risk Factors Until the 1960s, rubella was a common childhood infection. Thanks to the Anyone can catch rubella if they're exposed to the virus and haven't been vaccinated. Pregnant women face serious risks because rubella can cause serious complications to the baby during pregnancy. Complications of Rubella The most serious of these could happen during pregnancy, when the virus can pass from mother to Babies who are infected can have serious CRS is a group of health problems in a • • • • Delayed learning • • • Some women who get rubella during pregnancy have a Rubella can also cause complicati...

Key facts • Rubella is a contagious viral infection that occurs most often in children and young adults. • Rubella is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects. Rubella infection in pregnant women may cause fetal death or congenital defects known as congenital rubella syndrome. • There is no specific treatment for rubella but the disease is preventable by vaccination. Rubella is an acute, contagious viral infection. While rubella virus infection usually causes a mild fever and rash in children and adults, infection during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, can result in miscarriage, fetal death, stillbirth, or infants with congenital malformations, known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The rubella virus is transmitted by airborne droplets when infected people sneeze or cough. Humans are the only known host. Symptoms In children, the disease is usually mild, with symptoms including a rash, low fever (<39°C), nausea and mild conjunctivitis. The rash, which occurs in 50–80% of cases, usually starts on the face and neck before progressing down the body, and lasts 1–3 days. Swollen lymph glands behind the ears and in the neck are the most characteristic clinical feature. Infected adults, more commonly women, may develop arthritis and painful joints that usually last from 3–10 days. Once a person is infected, the virus spreads throughout the body in about 5-7 days. Symptoms usually appear 2 to 3 weeks after exposure. The most infectious period i...

Rubella is often called German measles or three-day measles. In March 2005 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the elimination of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in the United States. By that time, vaccination reached more than 95% of school-aged children and about 91% of the entire U.S. population. andriano_cz / Getty Images Symptoms Outside of the effects that rubella has on pregnancy and congenital rubella syndrome, it manifests as a very mild illness in most patients. About half of all infected individuals will not show any signs or symptoms at all, despite being infectious in many cases. Children are more likely than adults to not show symptoms. The most common sign of rubella is a maculopapular rash that begins on the face about two weeks after infection and spreads down from there. One to five days before the onset of the rash (known as the prodromal period) is a mild flu-like condition that shows up with low-grade fever, malaise, swollen The CDC recommends vaccinations for all children and for women who intend to become pregnant. The vaccine used is the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. Women of childbearing age should not get pregnant within four weeks of receiving the vaccine. An unvaccinated pregnant woman should wait until after birth to get the MMR vaccine and should avoid traveling internationally. Diagnosis Rubella diagnosis is complicated. There is no solid, easy, and quick blood test to identify a rubella infection. If the...