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Last reviewed: 9 Apr 2025
Last updated: 15 Apr 2025

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • maculopapular rash
  • fever
  • arthralgias
  • lymphadenopathy
  • incomplete immunization

Other diagnostic factors

  • malaise
  • coryza or pharyngitis
  • arthritis
  • conjunctivitis

Risk factors

  • incomplete immunization
  • exposure to infectious contact
  • international travel

Diagnostic tests

Tests to consider

  • viral culture
  • reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR)

Treatment algorithm

Contributors

Authors

Elisabeth Adderson, MD
Elisabeth Adderson

Associate Member

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center

Memphis

TN

Disclosures

EA declares that she has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Elizabeth Barnett, MD, FAAP

Director of International Clinical Maxwell Finland Laboratory for Infectious Diseases

Boston Medical Center

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Boston University School of Medicine

Boston

MA

Disclosures

EB has received research grant support from Sandipasteen and Intercell and received an honorarium to attend a meeting sponsored by Novartis. She receives royalties from the sale of a book she edited.

Suzanne M. Garland, MBBS, MD, FRCPAm FAChSHM, FRANZCOG ad eundem

Director of Microbiological Research

Head of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Royal Women's Hospital

Senior Consultant of Microbiology

Royal Children's Hospital

Professor

Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

University of Melbourne

Melbourne

Australia

Disclosures

SMG has received advisory board fees and grant support from Commonwealth Serum Laboratories and GlaxoSmithKline, and lecture fees from Merck and GSK. SMG has received funding through her institution to conduct HPV vaccine studies for MSD and GSK.

Robert S. Duszak, OD, FAAO

Co-Director of Residency Program and Consulting Staff

Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Consulting Staff

Nemours Health Clinic & Mayfair Eye Associates

Adjunct Clinical Faculty

Pennsylvania College of Optometry

Salus University

Philadelphia

PA

Disclosures

RSD declares that he has no competing interests.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rubella (German measles, three-day measles). Dec 2020 [internet publication].Full text

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Yellow Book 2024. Section 5: travel-associated infections and diseases - rubella. May 2023 [internet publication].Full text

McLean HQ, Fiebelkorn AP, Temte JL, et al; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention of measles, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, and mumps, 2013: summary recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2013 Jun 14;62(RR-04):1-34.Full text  Abstract

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended child and adolescent immunization schedule for ages 18 years or younger, United States, 2025. Nov 2024 [internet publication].Full text

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended adult immunization schedule for ages 19 years or older, United States, 2025. Nov 2024 [internet publication].Full text

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rubella/German measles: 2013 case definition. 2013 [internet publication].Full text

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available here.

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