Rubella

Rubella.

What Rubella Is?
It’s also known as German measles or 3-day measles. Rubella is an infection. It is caused by the rubella virus (not the same virus that causes measles), which isusually transmitted by droplets from the nose or throat that others breathe in. It's a generally mild disease in children and the infection of pregnant women.

Rubella Causes.
Rubella is caused by avirus that is spread through the air or by close contact. Almost everyone who receives the vaccine has immunity to rubella. In some adults, the vaccine may wear off and not fully protect them. Childrenand adults who were never vaccinated against rubella may still get this infection.

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. The rubella rash can look like many other viral rashes. Other symptoms ofrubella can include:
- headache
- loss of appetite
- mild conjunctivitis
- a stuffy or runny nose
-swollen lymph nodes in other parts of the body
-pain and swelling in the joints
Many peoplewith rubella have few or no symptoms. Rubella in a pregnant woman can cause congenital rubella syndrome, with potentially devastating consequences for the developing fetus.

Prognosis
Rubellainfection of children and adults is usually mild, self-limiting and often asymptomatic. The prognosis in children born with CRS is poor.
Rubella is usually a mild infection.
After an infection, people haveimmunity to the disease for the rest of their lives.
Rubella Treatment
Rubella cannot be treated with antibiotics because they do not work against viral infections. Unless there are complications,rubella will resolve on its own.
Any pregnant woman who has been exposed to rubella should contact her obstetrician immediately. Rubella is typically mild in kids, who often can be cared for at...