Rubella is a contagious illness you get from the RuV virus. It causes a rash that usually starts on your face and moves down your body. It can cause serious illness in newborns of people who had rubella while pregnant.
Rubella is also called German measles or three-day measles. Even though it causes a rash like measles, rubella happens because of a different virus than measles.
What is congenital rubella syndrome?
Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) is the most serious form of rubella. It happens when a pregnant person passes rubella to the fetus. This can cause skin, hearing, vision, heart and brain problems in newborns.
What are the symptoms of rubella?
Rubella’s prominent symptom is a rash that usually starts on your face and moves down the rest of your body. In young children, a rash is often their first symptom. In older children and adults, the rash can appear a few days after other symptoms start.
Up to 50% of people have no symptoms at all but can still spread rubella to other people.
The cause of rubella is the RuV virus. Viruses are small shells with a genetic code inside (RNA or DNA). They use cell “machinery” from humans, animals or plants to make more copies of themselves.
Is rubella contagious?
Yes, rubella is contagious — it spreads from person to person when you cough, sneeze or touch surfaces with the virus on them. It can also spread from a pregnant person to the fetus. You can be contagious with rubella without symptoms.
How long am I contagious with rubella?
You’re contagious with rubella for about a week before and a week after the rash appears.
Can adults get rubella?
Yes, rubella is contagious and adults can get it from kids or other adults.
What is rubella in pregnancy?
Rubella is most serious in pregnancy. If you’re pregnant and get rubella, especially in the first trimester, your child is at high risk for congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). CRS is preventable if you get vaccinated before getting pregnant.
What causes a positive rubella test in pregnancy?
If you’re not sick and your healthcare provider does a blood test for rubella before you get pregnant or while you’re pregnant, they’re looking for antibodies to rubella. Your body makes antibodies when it finds a harmful invader in your body.
If you test positive to a rubella antibody test, it means you either had rubella before or received a vaccination for it. Either way, you’re immune to rubella and are unlikely to get it while you’re pregnant.
What are the symptoms of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS)?
Symptoms of congenital rubella syndrome are present at birth. If you get rubella while pregnant, your baby could be born with one or more symptoms of CRS, including:
There’s no specific medicine for treating rubella. It usually gets better on its own. You can treat symptoms at home with over-the-counter medications. Your healthcare provider may suggest quarantining away from others to reduce the spread of rubella.
How do I manage symptoms of rubella?
Most of the time, you can manage the symptoms of rubella at home with over-the-counter medicines, like acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol or under the brand names Tylenol® or Panadol®) or cough and cold medicines. Ask your healthcare provider about the best way to treat your symptoms. Check with your pediatrician before giving medications to your child for rubella.
How is congenital rubella syndrome treated?
The ways to treat congenital rubella syndrome depend on its severity. Some conditions are treatable with medication or surgery. Other damage is permanent, and it’s only possible to manage the condition to improve quality of life.
How is rubella diagnosed?
To diagnose rubella, your healthcare provider will give you a physical exam and look at your rash if you have one. They might test your blood, pee (urine) or mucus from your nose or throat for signs of rubella.
What tests are used to diagnose rubella?
Tests used to diagnose rubella include:
Blood tests. Your provider will take a sample of blood from your arm with a small needle. They’ll look for antibodies to rubella, which would show that you’re either currently sick, have had rubella before or are vaccinated against rubella.
Nasal or throat swabs. Your provider will use a soft-tipped stick (swab) to get a sample from your nose or throat. A lab will test the sample for signs of rubella.
Urine tests. You’ll pee in a sterile cup. A lab will test your pee (urine) for signs of rubella.
What does it mean if my rubella test is positive?
If your nose, throat or pee is tested and comes back positive, it means you’re currently infected with rubella. If your rubella blood test is positive, it means you have antibodies to rubella. Antibodies are special proteins that know how to identify specific invaders, like viruses and bacteria.
If you test positive when you’re not sick, having antibodies means you were sick with rubella before or received a vaccination for it. You’re likely to be immune to rubella if you have antibodies to it — in other words, your immune system knows how to destroy it before you get sick.
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