German Measles (Rubella)
German measles - or rubella-is an infectious disease caused by a virus which is spread by droplet inhalation (which means it's carried in droplets of infected saliva produced by a cough or sneeze) from another infected person. Between 14 and 21 days after the infection there is a low-grade fever followed by the appearance of a fine red rash which starts on the face, spreads to cover the body and fades after about five days. In children this is a mild illness. Sometimes in the older child or adolescent it is associated with painful joints, which may take some time to settle. It can be a devastating disease to the foetus if the mother contracts it during the pregnancy, causing multiple defects including heart disease, cataracts, deafness and retardation. This can be prevented by vaccination, and usually women have their level of immunity tested during pregnancy (see the pregnancy section). Being a viral illness there is, of course, no treatment available.
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