Congenital rubella syndrome (patient information)

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S. [2]

Congenital rubella is a condition that occurs in an infant whose mother is infected with the virus that causes German measles.

Symptoms in the infant may include:

• Cloudy corneas or white appearance to pupil
• Deafness
• Developmental delay
• Excessive sleepiness
• Irritability
• Low birth weight
• Mental retardation
• Seizures
• Small head size
• Skin rash at birth

• Congenital rubella occurs when the rubella virus in the mother affects the developing baby at a critical time, in the first 3 months of pregnancy. After the fourth month, the mother’s rubella infection is less likely to harm the developing baby.

• The number of babies born with congenital rubella has decreased dramatically since the introduction of the rubella vaccine.

• Pregnant women who are not vaccinated for rubella and who have not had the disease in the past risk infecting themself and their unborn baby.

Call your health care provider:

• if you have concerns about congenital rubella,
• if you are unsure of your vaccination status, or
• if you or your children need a rubella vaccine.

The baby’s health care provider will run blood and urine tests to check for the virus.

There is no specific treatment for congenital rubella. Symptoms are treated as appropriate.

Directions to Hospitals Treating Congenital rubella syndrome

• The outcome for a child with congenital rubella depends on the severity of problems present.
• Heart defects can often be corrected.
• Damage to the nervous system is permanent.

Complications may involve many parts of the body.

• Eyes:

• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Retinitis

• Heart:

• Patent ductus arteriosus
• Pulmonary artery stenosis
• Other heart defects

• Central nervous system:

• Mental retardation
• Motor retardation
• Small head from failed brain development
• Encephalitis
• Meningitis

• Other:

• Deafness
• Low blood platelet count
• Enlarged liver and spleen
• Abnormal muscle tone
• Bone disease

• Vaccination prior to pregnancy can prevent congenital rubella.

• Pregnant women who are not immune to rubella should avoid contact with persons who have carry the virus.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001658.htm

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