Measles, mumps, and rubella are serious diseases.

Measles

• Measles virus causes rash, cough, runny nose, eye irritation, and fever.
  
• It can lead to ear infection, pneumonia, seizures (jerking and staring), brain damage, and death.
  

Mumps

• Mumps virus causes fever, headache, and swollen glands.
  
• It can lead to deafness, meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord covering), painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries, and, rarely, death.
  

Rubella (German Measles)

• Rubella virus causes rash, mild fever, and arthritis (mostly in women).
  
• If a woman gets rubella while she is pregnant, she could have a miscarriage or her baby could be born with serious birth defects.
  

You or your child could catch these diseases by being around someone who has them. They spread from person to person through the air.

Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine can prevent these diseases.

Most children who get their MMR shots will not get these diseases. Many more children would get them if we stopped vaccinating.