German

German measles, also known as Rubella, is a contagious disease caused by the Rubella virus. It is named "German" because it was first described by German physicians in the mid-eighteenth century. This disease is often mild and attacks often pass unnoticed. The disease can last one to three days. Children recover more quickly than adults. Infection of the mother by Rubella virus during pregnancy can be serious; if the mother is infected within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, the child may be born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), which entails a range of serious incurable illnesses. Miscarriage or stillbirth may also occur.

Symptoms

The symptoms of German measles are often so mild that they can easily be overlooked. They include:

• Fever
• Rash
• Headache
• Runny nose
• Inflammation of the eyes

Transmission

German measles is a disease that spreads through the air or by close contact. A person with German measles may spread the virus to others from a week before the rash appears, until about one to two weeks after the rash disappears.

Prevention

The best prevention for German measles is the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for German measles. However, the disease is usually mild and treatment is not often necessary.

See also

• Rubella
• MMR vaccine
• Congenital rubella syndrome

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