Rubella is an infectious disease transmitted by the rubella virus. The signs of the disease are: swelling of lymph nodes in the neck and a skin rash which first appears on the face and then rapidly spreads to other parts of the body. The complications of rubella include encephalitis and joint pain. Infection with rubella during pregnancy can cause serious damage to the child, including cataracts, deafness, heart defects and mental retardation.

There is no drug therapy for rubella. However, the disease can be prevented by immunization.