Rubella is a viral infection transmitted from person to person by droplets via coughs and sneezes. In healthy individuals it is usually a mild disease. Up to 50 % of individuals infected with rubella may not show symptoms. However, if a woman gets rubella shortly before getting pregnant or during the first three months of pregnancy, it is very likely to result in miscarriage or congenital anomalies known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).
Ticks themselves do not cause disease but if a tick is infected with a virus or bacterium, then that pathogen can be transmitted through the tick’s bite and cause disease in humans.
ECDC organised a meeting among invited experts to exchange cross-disciplinary perspectives on the issue of MMR vaccination refusal among the general European population.