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Congenital rubella

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Treatment:

There is no specific treatment for congenital rubella. Care involves appropriate treatment of affected systems in consultation with your health care providers.

Expectations (prognosis):

The outcome for a child with congenital rubella depends on the severity of the abnormalities present. Heart defects can often be corrected. Damage to the nervous system is permanent.

Complications:

Complications may involve many parts of the body.

Eyes:

• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Retinitis

Heart:

• Patent ductus arteriosus ( PDA )
• Pulmonary artery stenosis
• Other heart defects

Central nervous system:

• Mental retardation
• Motor retardation
• Small head (microcephaly) from failed brain development
• Encephalitis
• Meningitis

Other:

• Deafness
• Low blood platelet count
• Enlarged liver and spleen
• Abnormal muscle tone
• Bone disease

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have concerns about congenital rubella, if you are unsure of your vaccination status, or if you or your child needs rubella vaccine.

References:

Edlich RF, Winters KL, Long WB 3rd, Gubler KD. Rubella and congenital rubella (German measles). J Long Term Eff Med Implants . 2005;15(3):319-28.

Bar-Oz B, Levichek Z, Moretti ME, Mah C, Andreou S, Koren G. Pregnancy outcome following rubella vaccination: a prospective controlled study. Am J Med Genet A . 2004 Sep 15;130(1):52-4.

Robertson SE, Featherstone DA, Gacic-Dobo M, Hersh BS. Rubella and congenital rubella syndrome: global update. Rev Panam Salud Publica . 2003 Nov;14(5):306-15. Review.

• Review Date: 1/24/2006
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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