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Summary
Rubella is an infection caused by a virus. It is usually mild with fever and a rash. About half of the people who get rubella do not have symptoms. If you do get them, symptoms may include:
- A rash that starts on the face and spreads to the body
- Mild fever
- Aching joints, especially in young women
- Swollen glands
Rubella is most dangerous for a pregnant woman's baby. It can cause miscarriage or birth defects.
Rubella spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. People without symptoms can still spread it. There is no treatment, but the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine can prevent it.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Prevention and Risk Factors
- MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
- MMRV (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella) Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Current Vaccine Shortages and Delays (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Vaccine Safety Information (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Travelers' Health: Rubella (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Rubella
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Rubella epidemiology in Lesotho after vaccine introduction: a five-year review, 2018-2022.
- Article: Rubella seroprevalence among unvaccinated school-aged children in Jos, North Central, Nigeria.
- Article: Differential diagnosis on measles and rubella discarded cases highlights a sharp...
- Rubella -- see more articles
Children
- Rubella Vaccine Recommendations (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Women
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella and the MMR Vaccine during Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Congenital rubella (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
- MMRV (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella) Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Rubella (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.