Measles is a childhood infection caused by a virus. Once quite common, measles can now almost always be prevented with a vaccine. Also called rubeola, measles can be serious and even fatal for small children.

What kind of vaccine is measles?

The MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective. Children may also get MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox).

Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus. It is also called German measles, but it is caused by a different virus than measles.

What is the difference between rubella and measles?

Measles is more severe than rubella, and highly contagious. Though both measles and rubella have similar symptoms such as rash, the fever between the two is slightly different. Rash, and symptoms of measles last longer than rubella. Though measles does, Rubella has no prodromal period.

Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus. Most people who get rubella usually have a mild illness, with symptoms that can include a low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.