Rubella - Diseases and Vaccines

Immunisation
Rubella

Rubella is serious if a pregnant woman catches the disease, especially during the first three months of her pregnancy. A mother can pass rubella on to her unborn baby. All women of child-bearing age should be screened for rubella antibodies and immunised where necessary prior to pregnancy. The test and vaccine is free to women.

Virus
Rubella is a mild viral illness. A few cases of rubella occur in New Zealand each year.

Vaccine
This disease is covered on the New Zealand Immunisation Schedule. The vaccine used is M-M-R^® II.

How it is spread
It is spread through the air by breathing, coughing and sneezing.

Symptoms and illness
Rubella may cause a mild illness with a rash, fever and swollen glands in children. In teenagers and adults it may cause a rash, swollen glands and joint pain.

Severe risks associated with rubella

For women in early pregnancy, 85% of babies infected during the first eight weeks after conception will have a major congenital abnormality such as deafness, blindness, brain damage, or a heart defect. This declines to about 10–20% by 16 weeks of the pregnancy.
About one in 3000 patients gets thrombocytopaenia (low platelets causing bruising or bleeding).
One in 6000 develops encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). This usually occurs in young adults. This may result in death.

Severe risks associated with the vaccine

Joint symptoms may occur in 0–3 in 100 children. This is mild and short-lasting.

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Page last updated: 13 June 2008