Measles

Measles is a serious and highly contagious viral disease which causes fever, runny nose, cough and sore red eyes, followed by a rash.

 

Measles is caused by infection with the rubeola virus, a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. The virus lives in the mucus of the nose and throat of an infected child or adult. The infected person is contagious for four days before the rash appears, and continues so for about four to five days afterwards.

 

You can become infected through:

• Physical contact with an infected person.

• Being nearby infected people if they cough or sneeze.

• Touching a surface that has infected droplets of mucus (the virus remains active for two hours) and then putting your fingers into your mouth, rubbing your nose or eyes.

 

If the virus infects the lungs it can sometimes lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia.  Measles in older children can lead to inflammation of the brain, calledencephalitis, which can cause seizures and brain damage.

 

Measles can cause:

 

• ear infections (one in 20)

• respiratory problems (one in 25)

• convulsions (one in 200)

• meningitis (one in 1,000)

 

Treatment
There is no specific measles treatment. If there are no complications the doctor will recommend plenty of rest and normal measures to control the fever and prevent dehydration (drink fluids). Symptoms will usually go away within 7 to 10 days.

 

While children are contagious they should be kept away from school and should not return to activities that involve human interaction. Non-immunized people who have never had measles should be kept out of the house.