Side effects of rubella vaccine

Rubella Vaccine

Rubella vaccine is given in order to induce proper immune response of the body and to prevent the infection caused by rubella virus. The goal is production of antibodies against active immunizing agent. Rubella is rather serious infection. It can be dangerous in pregnant women since it may cause miscarriages or certain birth defects. This is why proper and timely vaccination can be good and is always applied in children and in women who want to get pregnant and have not been properly immunized against rubella virus. Apart from children and women the vaccination is required in people who are working in hospitals and other medical facilities, teenagers and adult men. Even those people who are traveling to distant countries in which a chance of catching this infection is increased need to be fully immunized.

Fully vaccinated people have received all the prescribed doses of the vaccine and possess antibodies which can be easily proven by blood testing. People who have had the disease have also built up the immunity for life time. The vaccination is conducted by the doctor or a nurse.

Rubella Vaccine Side Effects

Since this vaccine contains life viruses, both the virus and the additional components of the vaccine may be a cause of potential side effects. All the side effects need to be reported to the health care provider.

In majority of cases side affected are related to certain allergic reaction. They can present with problems with eating and swallowing, edema of the eyes or the whole face. The most serious is swallowing of the tongue as it may lead to problems with breathing. The skin may be itchy in mild cases, but in more serious cases a person can develop hives and extreme reddening. Increased redness of the skin most commonly affects area around the ears. Even exhaustion or weakness may be signs of allergic reaction. In rather rare cases, a person may complain about tenderness of the eyes.

Less common side effects include increased bruising of the vaccination spot. One may be confused or irritable and occasionally seizures can occur. Stiff neck and headache are other possible side effects. Numbness and tingling sensations in extremities can additionally develop.

The very spot of the injection can be covered with rash and after the vaccination the patient may complain about burning sensations. The more serious complication would be enlargement of regional lymph glands, mainly those present in the neck.

In adults side effect include painful joints, headache and potentially increased body temperature. Runny nose and sore throat can be present as well. Even headaches can occur. The place of the vaccination may be red, edematous, itchy or tender. In extremely rare cases nausea occurs.

Majority of side effects develop after 1 to 4 weeks after immunization. They tend not to last more than a week.