Rubella is the medical name for what condition?

Rubella, or German measles, is an infection caused by the rubella virus. Symptoms are often mild but if infection occurs during pregnancy, it can cause severe harm to the unborn child including deafness.

Rubella is Latin for "little red" and the disease features a red rash. Symptoms normally appear 14 to 21 days after infection. The rash often starts on the face and moves to the trunk and limbs. After 3 to 5 days it fades and disappears. It can be itchy.

No medications can shorten the rubella infection, and symptoms are usually mild enough that no treatment is necessary. A person with a rubella infection should avoid coming into contact with anyone who may be pregnant and anyone who has a weakened immune system until 1 week after the rash appears.