What is German Measles or Three-Day Measles & How is it Treated?

German measles or three-day measles is a medical condition that is better known for its official medical name Rubella. Rubella means “little red” in Latin. German measles or three-day measles is an infectious disease whose cause is the rubella virus. Most of the people who contract german measles or three-day measles are asymptomatic and thus they do not even know that they have contracted german measles or three-day measles. However, if the symptoms of this infectious disease show up, they are usually very mild.

If german measles or three-day measles occurs in adults and children, it can be easily treated and it usually will not cause any serious complications. However, if a pregnant mother contracts german measles or three-day measles, she can easily pass that infectious disease onto her unborn child which might bear some serious consequences. The World Health Organization just recently announced proudly that they believe that german measles or three-day measles were exterminated in the America. However, people from America who are traveling to the other parts of the world should know that rubella virus is an airborne disease. Once they have caught the rubella virus, they will either be asymptomatic or the symptoms of Rubella will occur in three weeks after the exposure to the virus.

The main and only cause of german measles or three-day measles is the Rubella virus. This means that german measles or three-day measles is an infectious and viral disease. People usually contract the german measles or three-day measles via air by inhaling the cough particles of people who are already infected with Rubella.

The virus that causes german measles or three-day measles belongs to the group of viruses called togaviruses. This virus is transmitted by the respiratory route. Once a person gets infected with the rubella virus, the virus itself will replicate in the lymph nodes and in the nasopharynx of the infected person. The rubella virus can be vertically spread from an infected mother to her unborn baby.

Before we start talking about the symptoms of german measles or three-day measles, we want to point out that even if you have symptoms that resemble german measles or three-day measles, it would be most likely that you have some other medical condition than german measles or three-day measles. The reason for that is that german measles or three-day measles is now extremely rare.

The symptoms of german measles or three-day measles resemble the symptoms of flu. However, the main sign that might have a medical doctor suspect that a person has a Primary german measles or three-day measles Infection is the appearance of a rash that begins on the patient’s face and spreads to the other parts of the body. Once the german measles or three-day measles rash spreads to the lower parts of the body, the rash on the face will disappear. The Rubella rash that starts on the face usually disappears in three days and that is why german measles is also called Three-Day Measles.

Other signs and symptoms of german measles or three-day measles include:

• Swollen lymph nodes (Particularly Posterior Cervical Lymph Nodes and Sub-Occipital Lymph Nodes)
• Low grade fever
• Headache
• Conjunctivitis
• Joint Pain

The fever that accompanies german measles or three-day measles usually does not surpass 100.4 Degrees Fahrenheit (38 Degrees Celsius). Also, the swollen lymph nodes that accompany german measles or three-day measles usually last for a week. The rash that characterizes german measles or three-day measles is most commonly light red or pink in appearance.

German measles or three-day measles rarely affect anyone that is above 40. This infectious disease most commonly occurs in younger children and young adults. Symptoms of german measles or three-day measles are different for every age group.

In children, german measles or three-day measles commonly cause symptoms which include:

• Rash that begins on the face and later disappears while spreading to other body parts
• Low grade fever that is less than 101 degrees fahrenheit or 38.3 degrees celsius
• Lymphadenopathy.

In older children and adults, some additional symptoms of Three-Day Measles may be present including:

• Coryza
• Swollen Lymph Nodes
• Aching Joints

Rubella Infection can be detected via a simple blood work that looks for the presence of the Rubella-specific IgM antibodies. However, experienced clinicians usually will not need to get people tested for german measles or three-day measles if they can recognize a Rubella rash.

Pregnant women should test themselves for german measles or three-day measles with the help of TORCH test within first 20 weeks of their pregnancy to avoid congenital defects that rubella infection in newborns brings.

There is no medication that is a targeted therapy only for german measles or three-day measles. If you are an adult and you have caught german measles or three-day measles, your medical doctor will advise you to stay at home in your bed and take Tylenol. This means that the treatment for Rubella is only symptomatic.

On the other hand, a team of medical experts must consider treatment options for women who have contracted german measles or three-day measles in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. One treatment option for pregnant women who have contracted the rubella virus that might be life-threatening to a newborn is hyperimmune globulin that can fight off the rubella virus in a newborn. However, some babies who were given hyperimmune globulin while they were still in their mother’s stomach can still develop Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS). If that happens, it is best to start treating all of the defects CRS brought to an infant immediately.

Luckily, german measles or three-day measles is today almost exterminated from almost all WHO regions. The reason why people do not get infected anymore with german measles or three-day measles is that there is immunization available against it. What immunization against Rubella consists of is the MMR vaccine. MMR stands for Measles-Mumps-Rubella. The MMR vaccine is recommended to be given to all children aged 12-18 months. After the first vaccination against Rubella, second vaccination should be when a child enters its third year of life.

German measles or three-day measles is now extremely rare in the United States and the United Kingdom thanks to vaccination against Rubella. However, people who were not vaccinated against Rubella and whose immune system is compromised for instance by HIV, are at a higher risk for catching Rubella.

Some genetic factors also increase one’s risk for catching the Rubella virus. Pathologic HLA-A1 antigen serotype is the riskiest genetic factor that increases one’s risk for getting german measles or three-day measles.

German measles or three-day measles is usually asymptomatic or it causes mild symptoms. Once you have caught this illness and survived it, you will stay immune permanently to it for the rest of your life. In adult women, Rubella can rarely cause:

• Brain Inflammation
• Ear Infection

The most serious complication of german measles or three-day measles however is Congenital Rubella Syndrome. If a mother gets infected with the Rubella virus within the first 20 weeks of her pregnancy, she is putting her child at risk to be born with various and serious defects such as:

• Blindness
• Deafness
• Heart Conditions
• Brain Damage
• Small Head
• Retinopathy
• Hepatitis
• Anemia
• Small Lower Jaw

Some women who contract the Rubella virus during 20 first weeks of their pregnancy are also at risk for having a miscarriage. Because of the numerous complications of Congenital Rubella Syndrome, all new moms are advised to perform a TORCH test. Congenital Rubella Syndrome is also the main reason why vaccination against german measles or three-day measles was invented.

German measles or three-day measles that occurs in children and adults is mostly very mild, often asymptomatic, and it is self-limiting and goes away quickly. This why the prognosis or outlook of a person diagnosed with german measles or three-day measles is excellent.

On the other hand, the infants that were born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome have a very poor prognosis since the outcome of CRS is usually fatal. That is why mother should perform TORCH test while they are pregnant to avoid their child being born with CRS.

There are no lifestyle changes that a person with german measles or three-day measles should introduce into its life. The only lifestyle change we can think of for persons with german measles or three-day measles is skipping job for usually a week until Rubella Infection goes away.

Patients with german measles or three-day measles can treat it by themselves in the comfort of their home. Home treatment for german measles or three-day measles includes:

• Resting In bed
• Taking tylenol that will relieve fever and joint paints.

You usually do not require coping if you were diagnosed with german measles or three-day measles. German measles or three-day measles is not a malignant disease. It is not a fatal disease unless you are an infant, and that is why you do not require coping from family and friends.

If your child was diagnosed with Congenital Rubella Syndrome, you should immediately consult with your medical doctor about how to cope with that serious diagnosis.

If you are an adult or a child that was diagnosed with Rubella Infection, you should know that Rubella goes away in a week or two.

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Also Read:

• What Causes Measles In Adults?
• Can You Get Measles After Being Vaccinated?
• How Long Is Measles Vaccine Effective?