GERMAN MEASLES

• German Measles


  Also known as Rubella or Three-day Measles
• It is a mild viral illness caused by rubella virus
• Disciplines covered


  • Nursing
  • Radtech
  • Dentistry
  • Criminology
  • Midwifery
  • Medtech
  • LET
  • Psychomet
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Civil Service
  • Napolcom
  • NCLEX
  • DHA
  • HAAD
  • Prometric
  • UK-CBT
• Rubella


  • Causes mild feverish illness associated with rashes and aches in joints
  • Has a teratogenic effect on the fetus
• Etiologic Agent


  Rubella virus
• Mode of Transmission


  1. Droplet transmission

  2. Transplacental transmission in congenital rubella
• Incubation Period


  2 to 3 weeks
• Prodromal Period


  1. Low grade fever

  2. Headache

  3. Malaise

  4. Mild coryza

  5. Conjunctivitis

  6. Post-auricular, sub-occipital and posterior cervical lymphadenopathy which occurs on the 3rd to the 5th day after onset
• Eruptive Period


  1. Forchheimer's spot (pinkish rash on the soft palate)

  2. Eruption appears after the onset of adenopathy

  3. Children usually present less or no constitutional symptoms

  4. The rash may last for one to five days and leaves no pigmentation nor desquamation

  5. Testicular pain in young adults

  6. Transients polyarthralgia and polyarthritis may occur in adults and occasionally in children
• Congenital Rubella Syndrome


  • Intrauterine growth retardation
  • Infant has low birth weight
  • Thrombocytopenic purpura known as "blueberry muffin" skin
• Intrauterine Infection


  1. May result in spontaneous abortion

  2. Birth result in spontaneous abortion one or multiple birth anomalies such as: Cleft palate, talipes and eruption of teeth

  3. Cardiac defects (patent ductus arteriosus, atrial septal defect)

  4. Eye defects (glaucoma, retinopathy, micropthalmia)

  5. Neurologic (Microcephaly, mental retardation, psychomotor retardation, vasomotor instability)