Rubella

1. What is rubella?

　Rubella is an acute eruptive infection caused by the rubella virus, which has such high infectivity as to spread infection from one patient to five to seven people in a population without immunity to rubella.

2. Symptoms of rubella

　About two to three weeks after infection, patients develop symptoms, such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. The infection can be transmitted to others for about a week before and after the onset of rash.
　If pregnant women up to about 20 weeks gestation with insufficient immunity to rubella are infected with the rubella virus, they are at risk of having a baby with a disability in the eyes, heart, ears, etc. (congenital rubella syndrome).

3. Vaccination is effective in preventing rubella and the spread of infection

　Those who are eligible for regular rubella vaccination (one year old, one year before entering elementary school) and those who have not contracted rubella and have not been vaccinated against rubella should receive vaccination.
  Also, from the perspective of protecting pregnant women, people around them (husbands, children, and other family members living in the same household) should particularly take care not to be infected with rubella.
  Depending on the municipality, you may be able to receive subsidies for vaccination costs, so please ask the municipality where you live for details.

4. Antibody test

　In Fukuoka Prefecture, in order to promote rubella vaccination, rubella antibody testing is provided for free at contracted medical institutions.
  For more information, click “Rubella antibody testing is available for free.”

5. Other information

WHO Immunization, Vaccines, Biologicals rubella
https://www.who.int /immunization /diseases /rubella /en /