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German Measles(3-day measles, rubella) is a viral contagious infection that is producing mild symptoms, including a rash and joint pain. Mainly, German Measles is spreading by breathing in small virus, consisting of moisture droplets, that are having been coughed onto the air by an infected individual. Contact with infected may also spread German Measles. An individual is contagious from one week before the rash is appearing unless one week after the rash is disappearing. An infants who were infected before birth, may be contagious for many months after his or her birth. German Measles are less contagious than measles and many people are never becoming infected. Nevertheless, an infection is serious, particularly in pregnant females. A female infected at the first sixteen weeks of pregnancy, can be miscarry, have a baby with birth abnormalities, or give birth to a stillborn baby. Appr. 10 to 15% of young females have never had German Measles, so they may be at high risk of having child with severe birth abnormality if they are becoming infected in the early pregnancy. German Measles epidemics happen during the spring at irregular intervals. Main epidemics are occuring about six to nine years. In the U.S. the German Measles cases number and number of infants infected with this infection before birth, begun to increase in 1988, but such trend peaked in 1991. Currently, the cases number is lower than ever. A single German Measles attack is giving an individual lifelong immunity. German Measles symptoms start appr. two to three weeks after getting infection. In children, German Measles start with one-tofive-day feeling mildly ill period with occasional joint ache and swollen lymph nodes in the back of the head and the neck. A throat is not sore, but is becoming red at the illness start. Such early symptoms may not occur at all or can be very mild in adults and adoledcents. A mild rash is also developing and lasting about three days. The rash starts on the neck and face and rapidly spreading to the legs, arms, and trunk. As the rash is appearing, a flush(reddening of the skin) happens, especially on the face. Rose-colored spots are appearing on the mouth roof, later extending over the mouth back. Diagnosis of German measles depend on characteistic symptoms. However, many cases are mild and go unnoticed or are misdiagnosed. Exact diagnosis needed during pregnancy and may be confirmed by measuring antibodies blood levels to rubella virus. Most children with this disease are recovering completely. Men or teenage boys can have temporary testes pain. Up to 1/3 of females are developing joint ache and arthritis with German Measles. Rarely, otitis media(a middle ear infection) is developing. Encephalitis(brain infection) is rare and sometimes fatal complication. In pregnant females, German Measles may be extremely serious, causing possible birth abnormality, miscarriage, or stillbirth. Rubella vaccine is given to child to prevent German Measles. Such vaccine is generally injected into child's muscle in combination with measles and mumps vaccines. German Measles symptoms are rarely severe enough to require treatment. Otitis media may be treated with antibiotic, but no cure avaliable to cure brain infection(encephalitis).
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