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Rubella, also known as German measles or three-day measles, is an infection caused by the rubella virus.〔 This disease is often mild with half of people not realizing that they are sick.〔 A rash may start around two weeks after exposure and last for three days. It usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. The rash is not as bright as that of measles and is sometimes itchy. Swollen lymph nodes are common and may last a few weeks.〔 A fever, sore throat, and fatigue may also occur.〔〔 In adults joint pain is common. Complications may include bleeding problems, testicular swelling, and inflammation of nerves.〔 Infection during early pregnancy may result in a child born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) or miscarriage. Symptoms of CRS include problems with the eyes such as cataracts, ears such as deafness, heart, and brain. Problems are rare after the 20th week of pregnancy.〔 Rubella is usually spread through the air via coughs of people who are infected.〔 People are infectious during the week before and after the appearance of the rash. Babies with CRS may spread the virus for more than a year.〔 Only humans are infected.〔 Insects do not spread the disease.〔 Once recovered, people are immune to future infections. Testing is available that can verify immunity.〔 Diagnosis is confirmed by finding the virus in the blood, throat, or urine. Testing the blood for antibodies may also be useful.〔 Rubella is preventable with the rubella vaccine with a single dose being more than 95% effective.〔 Often it is given in combination with the measles vaccine and mumps vaccine, known as the MMR vaccine.〔 With a population vaccination rate of less than 80%, however, more women might make it to childbearing age without developing immunity and issues could increase.〔 Once infected there is no specific treatment. Rubella is a common infection in many areas of the world.〔 Each year about 100,000 cases of congenital rubella syndrome occur. Rates of disease have decreased in many areas including the Americas as a result of vaccination.〔〔 There are ongoing efforts to eliminate the disease globally.〔 The name "rubella" is from Latin and means ''little red''. It was first described as a separate disease by German physicians in 1814 resulting in the name "German measles." On April 29, 2015, the World Health Organization declared the Americas officially free of rubella transmission. ==Signs and symptoms== Rubella has symptoms that are similar to those of flu. However, the primary symptom of rubella virus infection is the appearance of a rash (exanthem) on the face which spreads to the trunk and limbs and usually fades after three days (that is why it is often referred to as three-day measles). The facial rash usually clears as it spreads to other parts of the body. Other symptoms include low grade fever, swollen glands (sub occipital & posterior cervical lymphadenopathy), joint pains, headache, and conjunctivitis. The swollen glands or lymph nodes can persist for up to a week and the fever rarely rises above 38 oC (100.4 oF). The rash of German measles is typically pink or light red. The rash causes itching and often lasts for about three days. The rash disappears after a few days with no staining or peeling of the skin. When the rash clears up, the skin might shed in very small flakes where the rash covered it. Forchheimer's sign occurs in 20% of cases, and is characterized by small, red papules on the area of the soft palate.〔Robert Kliegman, Waldo E. Nelson, Hal B. Jenson, Karen J. Marcdante, M.D., Richard E. Behrman. ''Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics'', page 467. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4160-0159-1.〕 Rubella can affect anyone of any age and is generally a mild disease, rare in infants or those over the age of 40. The older the person is the more severe the symptoms are likely to be. Up to 60% of older girls or women experience joint pain or arthritic type symptoms with rubella. In children rubella normally causes symptoms which last two days and include:〔 * Rash beginning on the face which spreads to the rest of the body. * Low fever of less than 38.3 °C (101 °F). * Posterior cervical lymphadenopathy.〔http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/german_measles.html〕 In older children and adults additional symptoms may be present including: * Swollen glands * Coryza (cold like symptoms) * Aching joints (especially in young women) Serious problems can occur including the following: * Brain infections * Bleeding problems. * Birth Defects (Congenital) * Cataracts * Glaucoma * Heart Defects * Hearing Loss 〔"Rubella." Complications. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2015. Coryza in rubella may convert to pneumonia, either direct viral pneumonia or secondary bacterial pneumonia, and bronchitis (either viral bronchitis or secondary bacterial bronchitis). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Rubella」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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