German measles (rubella)
Key facts Rubella is a contagious illness caused by a virus. Around 1 in every 2 people who become infected with rubella do not experience any symptoms. Symptoms of rubella are usually mild and include fever, rash, joint aches and tiredness. Rubella can cause serious birth defects in babies whose mothers catch rubella during pregnancy. Vaccination is the best protection against rubella. Rubella (German measles) What is rubella? Rubella is a contagious illness caused by a virus. Rubella is also known as ‘German measles’, but it is different to the illness caused by the measles virus. Some people with rubella