About rubella
Rubella is sometimes called German measles, but it is not the same disease as measles.
Rubella is usually a mild illness, with a fever, rash and swollen lymph glands. However, if contracted by pregnant women during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, the disease can cause life-long problems for babies.
Case definitions
Prevention
Rubella can be prevented with vaccination. If you're eligible, you can get rubella vaccines for free under the National Immunisation Program. See more information about when to get vaccinated.
Vaccination
Find out more about getting vaccinated against rubella.
Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
For information about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, see healthdirect's rubella page.
Surveillance and reporting
Rubella is a nationally notifiable disease.
We monitor cases through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).
For more on rubella in Australia, you can search Communicable Diseases Intelligence.