Rubella Sign, Symptoms, and Causes
Rubella, which is also called German measles or three-day measles, is a highly contagious viral infection,
which is best known for its distinctive appearance of a red rash. While the infection can cause extremely
mild symptoms or even no symptoms in most people, it can cause serious trouble for unborn babies
whose mothers catch the infection during pregnancy.
Rubella is not the same as measles; however, these two illnesses share similar symptoms which include
the red rash. Rubella is often caused by a different virus than measles, and it is not as infectious or
severe as measles.
Rubella Signs and Symptoms
Rubella often goes unnoticed. Its incubation period is 14-22 days, which means symptoms generally start
appearing anywhere between 2-3 weeks after exposure to the virus and usually last about1-5 days. It
may include mild fever of 99, severe headache, running nose, inflamed, red eyes, aching joints in young
women, Pink rash which starts on the face and then spreads to the trunk followed by arms and legs.
Lastly, enlarged, tender lymph nodes can be developed at the base of the skull, at the back of the neck,
and even behind the ears.
Rubella Causes
The key cause of Rubella is a virus that can pass from one person to another. It can spread with the
coughs or sneezes of an infected person and can also spread by direct contact with an infected person’s
respiratory secretions, for example, mucus. Furthermore, it can very easily pass on from a pregnant
woman to her unborn child via the bloodstream through the placenta. A person who has been infected
with the Rubella virus that causes rubella is highly contagious for one to two weeks before the onset of
the rash and may continue to about one or two weeks after the rash disappears. An infected person can
spread the illness before the taker even realizes he or she has it.
When to see a doctor
It is essential to contact your doctor, if you or the child comes in any kind of exposure to rubella or if you
observe any of the signs or symptoms which are listed above. Additionally, if the woman is planning to get
pregnant, one should check the vaccination record and ensure that they have received the MMR vaccine.
However, if you’re pregnant and develop the signs of rubella, especially during the first trimester, then it