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Step 1
Understanding who and why. German measles, mostly harmless to children between the ages of five and nine, was feared by expectant mothers for its devastating effects on developing fetuses. Infection of the mother within the first three months of her pregnancy resulted in miscarriage or the delivering a stillborn or permanently disabled baby. The last outbreak of German measles in the United States resulted in roughly twelve thousand babies being born deaf and/or blind.
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Step 2
Know the history. Once considered the same, rubeola, the normal measles, and rubella, the German measles were differentiated when doctors were able to distinguish between some of the symptoms as well as the cases that were devastating during pregnancy.
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Step 3
Know the causes. German measles is often referred to as Rubella, or 3-day measles. The causative factor is the rubella virus which is contracted via inhalation of droplets (through nose and throat) that carry the rubella virus. This contagious disease can be spread from both carriers and those showing symptoms of the measles.
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Step 4
See the future. Occurrences of the German measles and exposure to the rubella virus are almost unheard of today, thanks to the rubella vaccination. In fact, less than ten cases per year are cited in the United States and each of those since 2002 can be traced to foreign sources. For that reason it is imperative that attention be given to global immunization in an effort to bring the number of cases to zero and prevent any future occurrences of rubella caused birth defects in the United States and abroad.
