Rubella is a common childhood disease that is caused by a virus. The most notable symptom is a rash that begins on the face and moves down the body. Rubella is often referred to as "German" or "Three Day" measles.

The symptoms of rubella appear anywhere from 12 to 23 days after you have been exposed. The symptoms are usually mild and can include a low fever, headache, joint aches, runny nose, and a rash. The rash usually lasts a total of three days, but not everyone who gets rubella will have a rash. The lymph nodes on the back of the neck and behind your ears may become swollen and sore.

The virus is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes and the virus is carried on tiny drops of water in the air. Recently the virus has also been found in the blood, urine and stools of people who have the illness. Rubella is contagious from seven days before, until seven days after the rash appears. Once you have had the infection you are usually immune and can't catch it again.

The most serious danger of rubella is to pregnant women. If a woman who is pregnant is exposed to rubella in the first three months of pregnancy it can cause miscarriage or birth defects in the fetus. These birth defects include heart defects, deafness, cataracts, spleen and liver damage and mental retardation. If pregnant women have had German measles, or rubella vaccination, they are protected. Women of childbearing age should check with their healthcare provider to be sure of their rubella status.

Children can develop serious secondary infections from measles infections. It is important that all children be immunized against the virus. This will protect them and decrease the risk to pregnant women. Since maternal antibodies protect newborns their first year, the rubella vaccine is given to children around their first birthday.

Call your local health department's immunization program for more information.

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