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Rubella is caused by the rubella virus (Rubivirus).
Symptoms are generally mild, and complications are rare in anyone
who is not pregnant.
The first visible sign of rubella is a fine red
rash that begins on the face and rapidly moves downward to cover the
whole body within 24 hours. The rash lasts about three days, which
is why rubella is sometimes called the three-day measles. A low
fever and swollen glands, especially in the head (around the ears)
and neck, often accompany the rash. Joint pain and sometimes joint
swelling can occur, more often in women. It is quite common to get
rubella and not show any symptoms (subclinical infection).
Symptoms disappear within three to four days,
except for joint pain, which may linger for a week or two. Most
people recover fully with no complications. However, severe
complications may arise in the unborn children of women who get
rubella during the first three months of their pregnancy. These
babies may be miscarried or stillborn. A high percentage are born
with birth defects. Birth defects are reported to occur in 50% of
women who contract the disease during the first month of pregnancy,
20% of those who contract it in the second month, and 10% of those
who contract it in the third month.
The most common birth defects resulting from
congenital rubella infection are eye defects such as cataracts,
glaucoma, and blindness; deafness; congenital heart defects; and
mental retardation. Taken together, these conditions are called
congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The risk of birth defects drops
after the first trimester, and by the 20th week, there are rarely
any complications. |
