A contagious, generally mild viral disease that affects children and young adults.
The rubella virus is spread through airborne droplets when an infected person sneezes or coughs.
The most common symptoms are rash, fever, lymph node inflammation and conjunctivitis.
The diagnosis is usually made clinically, although a serological test on blood samples may be carried out to confirm the diagnosis.
There is currently no specific treatment for rubella and treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms such as fever and general malaise (antipyretics/analgesics).
A vaccine is available to prevent rubella, which contains a weakened live strain of the virus. If the rubella virus infects a pregnant woman in the early stages of pregnancy, it can lead to spontaneous abortion, stillbirth or severe birth defects known as congenital rubella syndrome.
- Garcés-Sánchez M, Renales-Toboso M, Bóveda-García M, Díez-Domingo J. Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Resurgence of measles in Europe. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2015 Dec;33(10):673-8. doi: 10.1016/j.eimc.2015.10.013. Epub 2015 Nov 21.
- Levine DA. Vaccine-Preventable Diseases In Pediatric Patients: A Review Of Measles, Mumps, Rubella, And Varicella.Pediatr Emerg Med Pract. 2016 Dec;13(12):1-20. Epub 2016 Dec 2.
- Kumar D, Sabella C. Measles: Back again. Cleve Clin J Med. 2016 May;83(5):340-4. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.83a.15039.
- Lindberg C, Lanzi M, Lindberg K. Measles: Still a Significant Health Threat. MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs. 2015 Sep-Oct;40(5):298-305; quiz E21-2. doi: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000162.
- Caseris M, Burdet C, Lepeule R, Houhou N, Yeni P, Yazdanpanah Y, Joly V. An ypdate in measles. Rev Med Interne. 2015 May;36(5):339-45. doi: 10.1016/j.revmed.2014.10.362. Epub 2015 Jan 8.
