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Rubella Treatment
A Summary of Rubella Treatment
There is currently no treatment that can kill the rubella virus. Because rubella is caused by a virus, antibiotics are not effective. Therefore, treatment focuses on providing relief of rubella symptoms as the body fights the infection. This is called supportive care. Supportive care can include fluids, rest, and medications (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) to control fever or pain.
Rubella Treatment and Prognosis
In adults and children, rubella is usually a mild disease with infrequent complications. For pregnant women, however, rubella can cause serious birth defects (known as congenital rubella syndrome) in the fetus, including:
- Deafness
- Cataracts
- Heart defects
- Mental retardation
- Liver and spleen damage.
There is at least a 20 percent chance of damage to the fetus if a woman is infected early in her pregnancy.
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD