Rubella (German measles)

For a lay person:

Rubella, also called German measles, is a viral infection that usually causes a mild illness with a pink rash, slight fever and swollen glands. In children and most adults it passes within about a week. It is very dangerous in pregnancy, as it can cause miscarriage or serious birth defects.

For a trained medical person:

Infection with rubella virus spread by respiratory droplets, causing a mild exanthem with posterior auricular and suboccipital lymphadenopathy and, in adults, arthralgia; infection in early pregnancy can cause congenital rubella syndrome (deafness, cataracts, cardiac defects). Diagnosis is by serology (rubella IgM) or PCR, as the clinical picture is non-specific. Management is supportive with isolation, and prevention is by MMR vaccination; cases are notifiable.

In Chinese medicine:

Liu and Tseng's textbook gives Chinese herbal formulas for this condition without a full pattern differentiation. Treatment still follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: Rubella is vaccine-preventable and notifiable; anyone with a suspected case needs medical assessment, and pregnant women who are exposed or develop a rash must contact their doctor or midwife promptly. Herbal remedies should not be used in pregnancy or in children without medical advice.