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Rubella (German measles): guidance, data and analysis

The symptoms, diagnosis, management, surveillance and epidemiology of rubella (German measles).

Published 1 April 2013
Last updated 1 April 2016 — see all updates

• From: Public Health England

Rubella, also know as German measles, is a mild disease caused by togavirus. Transmission is through direct contact with an infected person or droplet spread.

Rubella can cause serious complications for pregnant women and their unborn baby.

Symptoms of rubella include:

• a transient red rash
• swollen lymph glands around the ears and back of the head
• occasionally arthritis (any abnormality of a joint caused by inflammation) and arthralgia (pain in a joint caused by inflammation) in adults

Rubella is a notifiable disease in England and Wales.

Rubella is vaccine preventable. In the UK, children receive 2 doses of the combined measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule.

For more information about rubella, visit NHS Choices.

Diagnosis

The Immunisation and Diagnosis Unit (IDU) provides diagnostic and reference services for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).

1. Immunisation and diagnosis unit (IDU): diagnostic and reference services

   • 1 July 2014
   • Guidance

Clinical management

1. Rash in pregnancy

   • 1 February 2016
   • Guidance

2. Infectious diseases during pregnancy: screening, vaccination and treatment

   • 1 April 2016
   • Guidance

Data collection

1. Measles, mumps and rubella: surveillance form

   • 19 August 2014
   • Form

2. Measles, mumps, rubella: letter for parents and form for oral fluid swab

   • 1 May 2014
   • Form

Epidemiology

For older data, view the health protection archive.

1. Measles, mumps and rubella: laboratory confirmed cases in England 2014

   • 27 February 2015
   • Research and analysis

2. Rubella: confirmed cases

   • 14 July 2017
   • Research and analysis

3. Rubella: notifications by age group, region and sex

   • 10 August 2015
   • Research and analysis

Vaccination

Immunisation is the most effective way to protect against rubella. Children should receive 2 doses of MMR before the age of 5 years.

In April 2013, Public Health England, NHS England and the Department of Health announced a national catch-up programme to increase MMR vaccination uptake in children and teenagers.

Vaccine uptake data for MMR are available through the Cover of vaccination evaluated rapidly (COVER) programme.

1. Rubella: the green book, chapter 28

   • 4 April 2013
   • Guidance

2. Rubella resources

   • 2 January 2014
   • Guidance

3. Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR): use of combined vaccine instead of single vaccines

   • 1 January 2014
   • Guidance

4. Thinking of getting pregnant?

   • 24 October 2016
   • Promotional material

5. UK immunisation schedule: the green book, chapter 11

   • 20 September 2016
   • Guidance

Published 1 April 2013
Last updated 1 April 2016 + show all updates

1. 1 April 2016 Revised in line with change about end of screening for rubella susceptibility in pregnant women, 1 April 2016.
2. 1 April 2013 First published.