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| Division of Public Health Services Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers | |
| Bureau of Infectious Disease Control REVISED –January 2018 | |
| RUBELLA (GERMAN MEASLES) | |
| Rubella is a childhood viral disease, which causes | |
| a rash, low -grade fever and swollen glands in the | |
| area behind the ears. Some children may have a | |
| very mild illness with no rash at all. However, if | |
| a pregnant woman without pr otection against | |
| rubella is exposed to the disease, there could be | |
| harmful effects to her baby. Pregnant women | |
| should consult their physician at once if they | |
| have been exposed to rubella! | |
| Who gets this disease? | |
| Some young adults remain susceptible to rubella | |
| due to high school graduation prior to the school | |
| rubella vaccination laws. Rubella is most often | |
| seen in unimmunized children and in this | |
| susceptible adolescent and young adult group. | |
| How is it spread? | |
| The virus is spread by large droplets spread | |
| through the air from sneezing or coughing, or by | |
| direct contact with infected nasal or saliva | |
| secretions. | |
| What are the symptoms? | |
| 1. A two to three day rash that begins on the | |
| face and quickly spreads downward over | |
| the entire body. | |
| 2. A low- grade fever of 101- degrees | |
| Fahrenheit or less. | |
| 3. Swollen glands behind the ears. (NOTE: | |
| this may appear before the rash). Joint and | |
| body pain is most commonly experienced | |
| in adults. | |
| 4. Symptoms appear 12 -23 days after | |
| exposure; usually 16-18. | |
| Infected persons are contagious from one week | |
| before to 5-7 days after the appearance of the | |
| rash. A small percentage of properly immunized | |
| children may be infected with rubella due to | |
| occasional vaccine failure. | |
| How can the spread of this disease be | |
| prevented? | |
| The national Advisory Committee on | |
| Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that | |
| children be immunized against rubella after 12- | |
| months of age. The two dose vaccine should be | |
| completed at 12 -15 months of age and 4- 6 years. | |
| This immunization is required for both childcare | |
| and school atte ndance. The vaccine is usually | |
| combined with measles and mumps vaccine. | |
| Who should be excluded? | |
| A child or staff member with rubella or suspect | |
| rubella should not return to daycare until seven | |
| days after the onset of the rash. | |
| Reportable? | |
| Yes. Rubella is reportable immediately by New | |
| Hampshire law to the Division of Public Health | |
| Services, Bureau of Infectious Disease Control at | |
| (603) 271-4496. | |