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Measles isn't just a little rash. Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children. 7–14 days after a measles infection: first symptoms show. Measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus. Measles typically begins with: High fever (may spike to more than 104°) Cough. Runny nose (coryza)
- Overview
- Measles symptoms
- Measles causes
- Is measles airborne?
- Is measles contagious?
- Diagnosing measles
- Treatment for measles
- Measles in adults
- Measles in babies
- Incubation period for measles
Measles, or rubeola, is a viral infection that starts in the respiratory system. It still remains a significant cause of death worldwide, despite the availability of a safe, effective vaccine.
There were about 110,000 global deaths related to measles in 2017, most of them in children under the age of 5, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Measles cases have also been increasing in the United States in recent years.
Symptoms of measles generally first appear within 10 to 12 days of exposure to the virus. They include:
•cough
•fever
•runny nose
•red eyes
•sore throat
Measles is caused by infection with a virus from the paramyxovirus family. Viruses are tiny parasitic microbes. Once you’ve been infected, the virus invades host cells and uses cellular components to complete its life cycle.
The measles virus infects the respiratory tract first. However, it eventually spreads to other parts of the body through the bloodstream.
Measles can be spread through the air from respiratory droplets and small aerosol particles. An infected person can release the virus into the air when they cough or sneeze.
These respiratory particles can also settle on objects and surfaces. You can become infected if you come into contact with a contaminated object, such as a door handle, and then touch your face, nose, or mouth.
Measles is highly contagious. This means that the infection can spread very easily from person to person.
A susceptible person that’s exposed to the measles virus has a 90 percent chance of becoming infected. Additionally, an infected person can go on to spread the virus to anywhere between 9 and 18 susceptible individuals.
A person that has measles can spread the virus to others before they even know that they have it. An infected person is contagious for four days before the characteristic rash appears. After the rash appears, they’re still contagious for another four days.
The main risk factor for catching measles is being unvaccinated. Additionally, some groups are at a higher risk of developing complications from measles infection, including young children, people with a weakened immune system, and pregnant women.
If you suspect that you have measles or have been exposed to someone with measles, contact your doctor immediately. They can evaluate you and direct you where to be seen to determine if you have the infection.
Doctors can confirm measles by examining your skin rash and checking for symptoms that are characteristic of the disease, such as white spots in the mouth, fever, cough, and sore throat.
There’s no specific treatment for measles. Unlike bacterial infections, viral infections aren’t sensitive to antibiotics. The virus and symptoms typically disappear in about two or three weeks.
There are some interventions available for people who may have been exposed to the virus. These can help prevent an infection or lessen its severity. They include:
•a measles vaccine, given within 72 hours of exposure
•a dose of immune proteins called immunoglobulin, taken within six days of exposure
Your doctor may recommend the following to help you recover:
•acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to reduce fever
Although it’s often associated with childhood illness, adults can get measles too. People who aren’t vaccinated are at a higher risk of catching the disease.
It’s generally accepted that adults born during or before 1957 are naturally immune to measles. This is because the vaccine was first licensed in 1963. Before then, most people had been naturally exposed to the infection by their adolescent years and became immune as a result.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), serious complications are not only more common in young children, but also in adults over the age of 20. These complications can include things like pneumonia, encephalitis, and blindness.
If you’re an adult who hasn’t been vaccinated or isn’t sure of their vaccination status, you should see your doctor to receive the vaccination. At least one dose of the vaccine is recommended for unvaccinated adults.
The measles vaccine isn’t given to children until they’re at least 12 months old. Before receiving their first dose of the vaccine is the time they’re most vulnerable to being infected with the measles virus.
Babies receive some protection from measles through passive immunity, which is provided from mother to child through the placenta and during breastfeeding.
However, research has shown that this immunity can be lost in just over 2.5 months after birth or the time breastfeeding is discontinued.
Children under 5 years of age are more likely to have complications due to measles. These can include things like pneumonia, encephalitis, and ear infections that can result in hearing loss.
The incubation period of an infectious disease is the time that passes between exposure and when symptoms develop. The incubation period for measles is between 10 and 14 days.
After the initial incubation period, you may begin to experience nonspecific symptoms, such as fever, cough, and runny nose. The rash will begin to develop several days later.
- Valencia Higuera
May 11, 2022 · Measles is a childhood infection caused by a virus. Once quite common, measles can now almost always be prevented with a vaccine. Also called rubeola, measles spreads easily and can be serious and even fatal for small children.
Nov 16, 2023 · The most common measles symptoms include: A high fever. Tiredness. A barky cough. Red or bloodshot eyes. A runny nose. A few days after these symptoms begin, you’ll develop a red, blotchy rash that spreads from your face to the rest of your body. The rash itself lasts about seven to 10 days. Other measles symptoms may include: A sore throat ...
Hacking cough. Pink eye (conjunctivitis) Fever. After 2 or 3 days of the above, other symptoms include: Severe diarrhea. Small spots with white centers (Koplik's spots) on the inside of the cheek. Deep, red, flat rash that starts on the face and spreads down to the torso, arms, legs, and feet.
Overview. Thanks to vaccines, we no longer have to worry about many dangerous diseases. Measles—once a common, often lethal illness—is now quite rare, and is often relegated to that “no worry” list. However, when cases of measles occur, they are dangerous, particularly for children under the age of 5.
Apr 16, 2024 · Measles can affect anyone but is most common in children. Measles infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body. Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it to other people.
