Abstract

Investigation of an outbreak of rubella on a college campus provided an opportunity to study the occurrence of orchids, or testalgia, in male adolescents and young adults. Of 68 subjects with rubella infection, five reported pain without swelling in one or both testicles lasting up to three days. Two of them had laboratory-confirmed rubella infection. Since the majority of all currently reported cases of rubella in the United States occur in persons 15 years of age and older, an increased awareness of rubella as a possible cause of testicular pain, and perhaps of orchitis, in postpubertal boys and men may result in further characterization of this symptom.