Rubella (also known as “German measles”) is caused by a
different virus than measles. Rubella does cause a rash but it
is fainter than the measles rash and lasts for only a few
days. Only about half of those infected with the rubella virus
have symptoms; others have a slight fever and a feel
general feeling of discomfort.
The greatest threat rubella poses is to unborn babies. If a woman
gets rubella during pregnancy, especially during early pregnancy,
it can lead to birth defects, premature delivery or fetal death.
People in the U.S. who have not been infected with the rubella
virus and who have not been vaccinated against the disease may be
susceptible to infection. The rubella vaccine was licensed
in 1969, and since that time rubella cases declined rapidly in
the US. As a result, rubella is no longer endemic in
this country, and cases of the disease are not seen often.
However, rubella can be brought into the US by travelers from
countries where the disease is still present or by
US residents who are not vaccinated.
This Quicksheet contains information on modes of transmission,
communicability, susceptability, period of communicability
exposure and incubation periods for the rubella virus
