Edit page | Page history | Printable version

rubella

(Science: disease, virology) An acute, usually benign, infectious disease caused by a togavirus and most often affecting children and nonimmune young adults, in which the virus enters the respiratory tract via droplet nuclei and spreads to the lymphatic system.

It is characterised by a slight cold, sore throat and fever, followed by enlargement of the postauricular, suboccipital and cervical lymph nodes and the appearances of a fine pink rash that begins on the head and spreads to become generalised.

Synonym: german measles, rubeola.

Origin: L. Rubellus = reddish, ruber = red