[roo-bel-uh] 
| a usually mild contagious viral disease characterized by fever, mild upper respiratory congestion, and a fine red rash lasting a few days: if contracted by a woman during early pregnancy, it may cause serious damage to the fetus. |
An acute and contagious disease, caused by a virus, producing symptoms milder than those usually associated with measles.
Note: German measles can cause severe congenital defects in the developing embryo or fetus of a woman who contracts the disease in her first three months of pregnancy.
German measles Ger·man measles (jûr'mən)
n.
See rubella.
rubella ru·bel·la (r&oomacr;-běl'ə)
n.
A mild contagious eruptive disease that is caused by the rubella virus and is capable of producing congenital defects in infants born to mothers infected during the first three months of pregnancy. Also called epidemic roseola, German measles, three-day measles.
| German measles (jûr'mən) Pronunciation Key
An infectious disease caused by the rubella virus of the genus Rubivirus, characterized by mild fever and skin rash. German measles can cause congenital defects if a woman is exposed during early pregnancy. Also called rubella. |
rubella (r -běl'ə) Pronunciation Key
See German measles. |