Microbiology · Respiratory RNA viruses
Rubella virus !
- Virus
- Enveloped
- Droplet
- Exam priority: medium
A virus that causes a mild rash in children but, in the first trimester of pregnancy, can badly harm the baby.
Updated 2026-11-01
Also called: German measles
At a glance
- Shape
- Spherical
- Genome
- Single-stranded, positive-sense RNA
- Envelope
- Enveloped
- Family
- Matonaviridae, genus Rubivirus
- Size
- About 50 to 70 nm
Morphology
- Enveloped virus with glycoproteins E1 and E2
- Formerly classified in the family Togaviridae
- A single serotype
Transmission
- Respiratory droplets
- Transplacental, with the highest risk in the first trimester
- Newborns with congenital rubella shed virus for months
Reservoir: Humans only
Isolation precautions
What the care team adds to standard precautions.
- Droplet
- Surgical mask within about a metre; single room.
Virulence factors
- In the fetus it slows cell division and damages vessels, causing multiple malformations
- Persistent fetal infection during pregnancy and after birth
Diseases it causes
- Postnatal rubella, mild, with postauricular lymph nodes Rubella and congenital rubella syndrome →
- Congenital rubella syndrome
- Congenital cataract in congenital rubella syndrome Cataract →
- Patent ductus arteriosus and pulmonary artery stenosis Patent ductus arteriosus →
Clinical picture
- Maculopapular rash that starts on the face and lasts about three days
- Postauricular, suboccipital and cervical lymph nodes
- Low fever; arthralgia, especially in adult women
- Congenital rubella syndrome: sensorineural deafness, cataract, heart disease (patent ductus arteriosus), developmental delay, "blueberry muffin" purpura
Diagnosis
- Specific serum IgM
- RT-PCR on a throat swab, urine or, in newborns, other samples
- IgG avidity to date infection in a pregnant woman
Treatment
There is no antiviral: care is supportive. A child with congenital rubella needs follow-up of hearing, vision, heart and development.
Drug class only; doses and regimens are set by the clinician from the current guideline.
Prevention
- MMR vaccine (or MR in adults)
- Check immunity before pregnancy and vaccinate susceptible women of childbearing age (not during pregnancy)
- Droplet precautions; contact precautions for newborns with congenital rubella
Vaccine: Part of the live attenuated MMR vaccine in Colombia's PAI; contraindicated in pregnancy.
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
What is the classic triad of congenital rubella syndrome?
Sensorineural deafness, cataract and congenital heart disease, above all patent ductus arteriosus.
Which lymph nodes are typical of rubella?
Postauricular, suboccipital and posterior cervical nodes.
When in pregnancy is the risk of fetal damage from rubella highest?
In the first trimester.
Related
Related conditions
← Back to the group: Respiratory RNA viruses
Educational content on microorganisms; not a treatment guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.
Sources: Rubella (World Health Organization (WHO), 2025); Appendix A: Type and Duration of Precautions Recommended for Selected Infections and Conditions (CDC, 2024).
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.