Measles symptoms

Symptoms can appear 7 to 18 days after exposure to the measles virus. But before you even
know you are sick, you can spread the measles to others.
Initial symptoms include:

 fever
 cough
 runny nose
 red eyes
 sleepiness
 irritability (feeling cranky or in a bad mood)

Small, white spots may appear inside the mouth and throat. These are called Koplik spots.
About 3 to 7 days after symptoms begin, a red blotchy rash develops on the face and spreads
down the body. The rash can last 4 to 7 days.
Complications can include:

 ear infections
 blindness
 pneumonia (lung infection)
 encephalitis (swelling of the brain), which can cause seizures, brain damage or death
 premature labour, miscarriage and low birth weight if contracted during pregnancy

Contagious period
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases. You can spread measles to others from 4 days
before the rash starts until 4 days after the rash appears. The virus is highly contagious and is
most often spread when people first get sick or before they know they have measles.

If you get the measles

If you are showing symptoms of measles, contact a healthcare provider as soon as possible and
describe your symptoms over the phone. Because measles is so contagious, follow their
instructions so that they can arrange to see you without exposing others to the virus.
It is very important to diagnose measles early to help prevent it from spreading to other people.

How measles is diagnosed

Healthcare providers can diagnose measles based on your symptoms and your possible exposure
to the virus (if there has been a recent outbreak in your community). Your healthcare provider
will confirm if you have the measles virus with a:

 blood test
 lab test of your urine
 nasopharyngeal (back of the nose and throat) swab

Measles treatment
There is no cure for the measles virus. The treatment is meant to relieve symptoms and to
prevent severe complications.
If you have measles, you should avoid contact with others as much as possible. This will help to
limit the spread of the virus to other people.
Your healthcare provider will likely:

 ask that you stay at home until 4 days after the rash first appears unless your symptoms
worsen
 give you medication (like pain relievers) to reduce your fever
 tell you to drink plenty of fluids, eat healthy foods and get lots of rest

Most people fully recover from the measles within 2 or 3 weeks.

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What is measles?
Measles is a viral disease that can spread rapidly.

Also known as rubeola or morbilli, measles is an endemic disease, meaning it is

continually present in a community, and many people develop resistance.

It is an unpleasant condition but one that normally passes without treatment within 7
to 10 days.
 After a bout of measles, a person gains immunity for the rest of their life. They are
very unlikely to contract measles a second time.

Symptoms

Measles is often noticed through a breakout of spots.

The symptoms of measles always include feverand at least one of the three Cs:

 cough

 coryza, or runny nose

 conjunctivitis
Symptoms will appear about 9 to 11 days after initial infection.

Symptoms may include:

 runny nose

 dry hacking cough

 conjunctivitis, or swollen eyelids and inflamed eyes

 watery eyes

 photophobia, or sensitivity to light

 sneezing

 a reddish-brown rash

 Koplik's spots, or very small grayish-white spots with bluish-white centers in the
mouth, insides of cheeks, and throat

 generalized body aches

There is often a fever. This can range from mild severe, up to 40.6 degrees
Centigrade. It can last several days, and it may fall and then rise again when the rash
appears.

The reddish-brown rash appears around 3 to 4 days after initial symptoms. This can
last for over a week.

The rash usually starts behind the ears and spreads over the head and neck. After a
couple of days, it spreads to the rest of the body, including the legs. As the spots
grow, they often join together.

Most childhood rashes are not measles, but a child should see a doctor if:

 a parent suspects the child may have measles

 symptoms do not improve, or they get worse

 the fever rises to above 38º Centigrade (ºC) or 100.4º Fahrenheit (ºF)

 other symptoms resolve, but the fever persists

 Complications

The measles vaccine is widely available and is said to have dropped global rates of measles by over 75 percent.

Complications from measles are fairly common. Some can be serious.

People most at risk are patients with a weak immune system, such as those
with HIV, AIDS, leukemia, or a vitamin deficiency, very young children, and adults
over the age of 20 years.

Older people are more likely to have complications than healthy children over the age
of 5 years.

Complications can include:

 diarrhea

 vomiting
 eye infection

 respiratory tract infections, such as laryngitis and bronchitis

 difficulty breathing

 ear infections, which can lead to permanent hearing loss

 febrile seizures
Patients with a weakened immune system who have measles are more susceptible to
bacterial pneumonia. This can be fatal if not treated.

The following less common complications are also possible:

 Hepatitis: Liver complications can occur in adults and in children who are taking
some medications.

 Encephalitis: This affects around 1 in every 1,000 patients with measles. It is

an inflammation of the brain that can sometimes be fatal. It may occur soon after
measles, or several years later.

 Thrombocytopenia, or low platelet count, affects the blood's ability to clot. The
patient may bruise easily.

 Squint: Eye nerves and eye muscles may be affected.

Complications that are very rare but possible include:

 Neuritis, an infection of the optic nerve that can lead to vision loss

 Heart complications

 Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE): A brain disease that can affect 2 in

every 100,000people, months or years after measles infection. Convulsions, motor
abnormalities, cognitive issues, and death can occur.

 Other nervous system complications include toxic encephalopathy, retrobulbar

neuritis, transverse myelitis, and ascending myelitis.
 Pregnancy
Measles during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, early delivery, or low birth weight.
A woman who is planning to become pregnant and has not been vaccinated should ask
her doctor for advice.

Types
There are two types of measles:

 Measles: This is the standard form caused by the rubeola virus.

 Rubella, or German measles: This is caused by the rubella virus.

Rubella generally presents as mild but presents more of a risk to unborn infants than
young children if a woman contracts the virus while she is pregnant.

It is neither as infectious nor as severe as standard measles.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine contains immunizations for both
types.

Causes
Measles is caused by infection with the rubeola virus. The virus lives in the mucus of
the nose and throat of an infected child or adult.

The disease is contagious for 4 days before the rash appears, and it continues to be
contagious for about 4 to 5 days after.

Infection spreads through:

 physical contact with an infected person

 being near infected people if they cough or sneeze

 touching a surface that has infected droplets of mucus and then putting fingers into
the mouth, or rubbing the nose or eyes
The virus remains active on an object for 2 hours.

How does a measles infection develop?

As soon as the virus enters the body, it multiplies in the back of the throat, lungs, and
the lymphatic system. It later infects and replicates in the urinary tract, eyes, blood
vessels, and central nervous system.

The virus takes 1 to 3 weeks to establish itself, but symptoms appear between 9 and
11 days after initial infection.

Anyone who has never been infected or vaccinated is likely to become ill if they
breathe in infected droplets or are in close physical contact with an infected person.

Approximately 90 percent of people who are not immune will develop measles if they
share a house with an infected person.

Treatment
 Measles gives people a fever.

There is no specific treatment. If there are no complications, the doctor will

recommend rest and plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

Symptoms usually go away within 7 to 10 days.

The following measures may help:

 If the child's temperature is high, they should be kept cool, but not too cold. Tylenol
or ibuprofen can help control fever, aches, and pains. Children under 16 years
should not take aspirin. A doctor will advise about acetaminophen dosage, as too
much can harm the child, especially the liver. There is an excellent selection online if
you want to buy Tylenol or ibuprofen.

 People should avoid smoking near the child.

 Sunglasses, keeping the lights dim or the room darkened may enhance comfort
levels, as measles increases sensitivity to light.
 If there is crustiness around the eyes, gently clean with a warm, damp cloth.

 Cough medicines will not relieve a measles cough. Humidifiers or placing a bowl of
water in the room may help. If the child is over 12 months, a glass of warm water
with a teaspoon of lemon juice and two teaspoons of honey may help. Do not give
honey to infants.

 A fever can lead to dehydration, so the child should drink plenty of fluids.

 A child who is in the contagious stage should stay away from school and avoid close
contact with others, especially those who are not immunized or have never had
measles.

 Those with a vitamin A deficiency and children under 2 years who have measles
may benefit from vitamin A supplements. These can help prevent complications,
but they should only be taken with a doctor's agreement. If you want to buy vitamin
A supplements, then there is an excellent selection online with thousands of
customer reviews.
Antibiotics will not help against the measles virus, but they may sometimes be
prescribed if an additional bacterial infection develops.

Diagnosis
A doctor can normally diagnose measles by looking at the signs and symptoms. A
blood test will confirm the presence of the rubeola virus.

In most countries, measles is a notifiable disease. The doctor has to notify the
authorities of any suspected cases. If the patient is a child, the doctor will also notify
the school.

A child with measles should not return to school until at least 5 days after the rash
appears.
Prevention
People who have already had measles are normally immune and they are unlikely to
get it again.

People who are not immune should consider the measles vaccine.

Measles vaccination
In the United States, the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is routinely
given at 12 to 15 months of age, followed by a booster shot before entering school at
the age of 4 to 6 years.

Newborns carry their mother's immunity for a few months after birth if their mothers
are immune, but sometimes the vaccine is recommended before the age of 12 months,
and as early as 6 months.

Is a measles epidemic becoming more

likely in the US?Recent measles outbreaks in the US have led to
concerns about the number of children not fully vaccinated. If coverage drops to 98%
of its current level, an epidemic is possible.READ NOW

Why is it important to avoid rubella, or

Rubella, or German measles, is a viral infection
German measles?
that usually spreads between people in coughs. The symptoms are mild, but the
infection can be dangerous for the fetus in early pregnancy. People can have a
vaccination to prevent rubella. In this article, we look at the symptoms, diagnosis,
and treatment of the disease.READ NOW
 1.

University of Rochester Medical Center, ScienceDaily

2. What you should know about mumps

Texas A&M University, ScienceDaily

3. Resurgence of measles in U.S. brings pain, suffering to children

Loyola University Health System, ScienceDaily

4. Measles

ScienceDaily

1. Just a Few More Weeks

GenomeWeb

2. Deep Sequencing Study Implicates New Rabies-related Virus in Hemorrhagic Fever

Outbreak

GenomeWeb

3. Danish GWAS Yields Genetic Risk Loci for Vaccine-related Febrile Seizures

GenomeWeb

4. Pertussis underdiagnosed; adult booster-vaccine prevents “whoop” & infant deaths

PulmCCM, PulmCCM

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