About Rubella
Rubella — commonly known as German measles or 3-day measles — is an
infection that mostly affects the skin and lymph nodes. It is caused by the rubella
virus (not the same virus that causes measles).
Rubella spreads when people breathe in virus-infected fluid, such as the
droplets sprayed into the air when a person with rubella sneezes or coughs, or
share food or drink with someone who's infected. It also can pass through a
pregnant woman's bloodstream to infect her unborn child.
It's a generally mild disease in children; the primary medical danger of rubella
is the infection of pregnant women because it can cause congenital rubella syndrome
in developing babies.
Before a vaccine against
rubella became available in 1969, rubella epidemics happened every 6-9 years, usually
among kids 5 to 9 years old, along with many cases of congenital rubella. Thanks to
immunization, there are far fewer cases of rubella and congenital rubella.
Most rubella infections today appear in young, non-immunized adults rather than
in kids. In fact, experts estimate that 10% of young adults are currently susceptible
to rubella, which could pose a danger to any children they might have someday.
Signs and Symptoms
Rubella infection may begin with 1-2 days of mild fever
(99-100°F, 37.2–37.8°C) and swollen, tender lymph nodes, usually in the back
of the neck or behind the ears. A rash then begins on the face and spreads downward.
As it spreads, it usually clears on the face.
The rubella rash is often the first sign of illness that a parent notices. It can
look like many other viral rashes, appearing as either pink or light red spots, which
may merge to form evenly colored patches. The rash can itch and lasts up to 3 days.
As the rash clears, the affected skin might shed in very fine flakes.
Other symptoms of rubella (these are more common in teens and adults) can include
headache, loss of appetite, mild conjunctivitis
(inflammation of the lining of the eyelids and eyeballs), a stuffy or runny nose,
swollen lymph nodes in other parts of the body, and pain and swelling in the joints
(especially in young women). Many people with rubella have few or no symptoms.
Rubella in a pregnant woman can cause congenital rubella syndrome, with potentially
devastating consequences for the developing fetus. Children who are infected with
rubella before birth are at risk for growth problems; intellectual disability; defects
of the heart and eyes; deafness; and liver, spleen, and bone marrow problems.