Rubella (German measles)

What is rubella?

Rubella, sometimes called German measles, is a well-known childhood infection that mainly affects the skin and lymph nodes.

Caused by the rubella virus, this illness is among the classic rash-associated infections of childhood.

This infection is easily spread from person to person by direct contact with infected body fluids, such as saliva or nasal discharge, or by droplets from coughing or sneezing.

The danger of spreading the infection to others is greatest a few days before until two weeks after the rash appears.

Some individuals can get the disease, and spread the infection, without ever becoming sick themselves. The time from infection until the rash breaks out (incubation period) is usually two to three weeks.

We used to see many children with rubella each year, but the disease now has become rare among children in the United States as a result of routine vaccination against rubella.

Treatment / What you should do

Contact your doctor if you think your child has rubella.

Antibiotics will not help because a virus causes rubella.

Pregnant women who think they might have German measles or have been exposed to rubella should contact a doctor. A blood test will show if the woman has the disease or has been vaccinated against it, which protects her from infecting her fetus.

There is no treatment for rubella but you can help your child feel more comfortable.

Make sure your child gets extra rest and drinks plenty of fluids.

Give medicine to bring down the fever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as needed. Never give aspirin to a child with a fever, as this may trigger Reyes syndrome, a dangerous illness involving the live and brain.

Contact the doctor if the child develops a high fever, has poor general health, or if the condition worsens.

If your child has German measles, he or she must be kept home from school until 7 days after the rash has appeared.

Babies born with congenital rubella syndrome are considered contagious until they are at least one year of age.