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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
The signs and symptoms of rubella are often so mild that they're difficult to notice, especially in children. If signs and symptoms do occur, they generally appear between two and three weeks after exposure to the virus. They typically last about two to three days and may include:
- Mild fever of 102 F (38.9 C) or lower
- Headache
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Inflamed, red eyes
- Enlarged, tender lymph nodes at the base of the skull, the back of the neck and behind the ears
- A fine, pink rash that begins on the face and quickly spreads to the trunk and then the arms and legs, before disappearing in the same sequence
- Aching joints, especially in young women
When to see a doctor
Contact your doctor if you think you or your child may have been exposed to rubella or if you have the symptoms listed above.
If you're contemplating getting pregnant, check your vaccination record to make sure you've received your MMR inoculations. If a pregnant woman contracts rubella, especially during her first trimester, the virus can cause death or serious birth defects in her developing fetus. For this reason, it's best for women to be protected against rubella before pregnancy.
If you're pregnant, you'll likely undergo a routine screening for immunity to rubella. But if you've never received the vaccine and think you might have been exposed to rubella, contact your doctor immediately. A blood test might confirm that you're already immune and unlikely to develop rubella.
- Hornig M, et al. Lack of association between measles virus vaccine and autism with enteropathy: A case-control study. PLoS ONE. 2008;3:e3140.
- MMR vaccine questions and answers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/combo-vaccines/mmr/faqs-mmr-hcp.htm. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Rubella: Make sure your child is fully immunized. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Rubella/. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Measles, mumps & rubella (MMR) vaccines. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-mmr.pdf. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Rubella no longer major public health threat in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r050321.htm. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Patient page: Rubella. The Journal of the American Medical Association. 2002;287:542.
- Rubella disease in-short (German measles). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/rubella/in-short-adult.htm. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Rubella. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch193/ch193e.html. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Passive immunization. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch169/ch169c.html. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Facts for parents about autism and vaccine safety. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/autismfactsforparents.pdf. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Immunization safety review: Vaccines and autism. Institute of Medicine. http://www.iom.edu/?id=20155&redirect=0. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/mmr_vaccine.htm. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Rubella (German measles). March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/printableArticles/14332_1225.asp. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Hoecker JL. (expert opinion.) Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 9, 2009.
- Hoecker JL. (expert opinion.) Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 10, 2009.
