Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus. It is also called German measles, but it is caused by a different virus than measles. Most people who get rubella usually have mild illness, with symptoms that can include a low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Some people may also have a headache, pink eye, and general discomfort before the rash appears. Rubella can cause a miscarriage or serious birth defects in an unborn baby if a woman is infected while she is pregnant.
Rubella can be prevented with MMR vaccine. This protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. CDC recommends children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Teens and adults also should also be up to date on their MMR vaccination
MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. One dose of the MMR vaccine is about 97% effective at preventing rubella.
Children may also get MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). This vaccine is only licensed for use in children who are 12 months through 12 years of age.
Before the availability of rubella vaccines in the United States, rubella was a common disease that occurred primarily among young children. The last major epidemic in the United States occurred during 1964 to 1965, when there was an estimated 12.5 million rubella cases in the United States. Because of successful vaccination programs, rubella has been eliminated from the United States since 2004. However, rubella is still common in other countries. Unvaccinated people can get rubella while abroad and bring the disease to the United States and spread it to others.
How Well Does the MMR Vaccine Work?
MMR vaccine is very effective at protecting people against measles, mumps, and rubella, and preventing the complications caused by these diseases. People who received two doses of MMR vaccine as children according to the U.S. vaccination schedule are considered protected for life.
Two doses of MMR vaccine are 97% effective against measles and 88% effective against mumps. One dose of MMR vaccine is 93% effective against measles, 78% effective against mumps, and 97% effective against rubella.
MMR is an attenuated (weakened) live virus vaccine. This means that after injection, the viruses cause a harmless infection in the vaccinated person with very few, if any, symptoms before they are eliminated from the body. The person's immune system fights the infection caused by these weakened viruses, and immunity (the body’s protection from the virus) develops.
A few people who get two doses of MMR vaccine may still get measles, mumps, or rubella if they are exposed to the viruses that cause these diseases. Experts aren’t sure why; it could be that their immune systems didn’t respond as well as they should have to the vaccine.
- About 3 out of 100 people who get two doses of MMR vaccine will get measles if exposed to the virus. However, they are more likely to have a milder illness, and are also less likely to spread the disease to other people.
- Two doses of MMR vaccine are 88% (range 66% to 95%) effective at preventing mumps. Mumps outbreaks can still occur in highly vaccinated U.S. communities, particularly in close-contact settings such as schools, colleges, and camps. However, high vaccination coverage helps limit the size, duration, and spread.
- While there are not many studies available, most people who do not respond to the rubella component of the first MMR dose would be expected to respond to the second dose.
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