German Measles Signs & Symptoms

German measles is a virus spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing. It is not the same disease as measles. Another name for German measles is rubella. The MMR vaccine that children receive before starting school stands for measles, mumps and rubella, and is highly effective at preventing the development of the disease. Rubella is typically a mild virus but some people do experience complications. Rubella can be devastating to a pregnant woman.

Common Symptoms

Common symptoms of German measles may be so mild that they go unnoticed. In cases where the person does exhibit symptoms, they include a low-grade fever, headache, a runny or stuffy nose, irritated or swollen eyes, lymph node swelling in the back of neck, behind the ears or the base of the skull and joint pain. The most common symptom of German measles is a rash that starts on the trunk and spreads to the extremities.

Complications

Rarely, someone with German measles will develop complications. The illness can sometimes lead to ear infections. A more serious side effect is encephalitis, or swelling of the brain. Complications of German measles occur more in adults who contract the disease than in children. This is an important point because effective childhood vaccine programs have nearly eliminated German measles in the United States. The group at most risk of exposure are adults that were born outside of the U.S.

Pregnancy

The most worrisome cases of German measles occur in pregnant women. While German measles are dangerous to the fetus during any stage of pregnancy, they are a particular problem during the first trimester, including the early stages of pregnancy, before many women realize that they are pregnant. Eighty-five percent of the women who develop German measles during their first trimester will deliver babies with congenital rubella syndrome. A child with this condition may have delayed growth as well as delayed mental progress. The child may also experience congenital defects in the heart or other organs. The virus affects the senses as well, and many of these children develop cataracts or are deaf.