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Measles is a viral sickness that affects children. Measles, which was once extremely common, can now nearly always be avoided with a vaccine.
Measles, often known as rubeola, can be fatal in young children. While global death rates have been decreasing as more children receive the measles vaccine, the disease still kills more than 100,000 people each year, the majority of whom are youngsters under the age of five.
Measles has not been widespread in the United States for more than a decade, owing to high immunization rates in general. In 2004, there were roughly 30 cases of measles in the United States, but by 2014, there were over 600 cases. The majority of these occurrences happened outside of the country in people who were unvaccinated or didn't know whether or not they had been vaccinated.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MEASLES?
Measles symptoms emerge 10 to 14 days after being exposed to the virus. Measles symptoms and signs commonly include:
- Fever
- Coughing that is dry
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis)
- Koplik's spots are tiny white dots with bluish-white centers on a red backdrop located inside the mouth on the inside lining of the cheek.
- A skin rash composed of big, flat spots that frequently flow into one another.
The infection progresses in stages over the course of two to three weeks.
- Incubation and infection: The measles virus incubates for the first 10 to 14 days following infection. During this period, you have no signs or symptoms of measles.
- Nonspecific signs and symptoms: Measles usually starts with a mild to moderate fever, followed by a persistent cough, runny nose, swollen eyes (conjunctivitis), and sore throat. This little illness may last two or three days.
- Acute sickness with a rash: The rash is made up of little red dots that are slightly elevated. Tight clusters of spots and bumps give the skin a splotchy red appearance. The face is the first to break out.
The rash spreads down the arms and trunk during the next few days, then over the thighs, lower legs, and feet. At the same time, the fever skyrockets, frequently reaching 104 to 105.8 degrees Fahrenheit (40 to 41 C). The measles rash gradually fades, beginning with the face and ending with the thighs and feet.
- Communicable period: A person with measles can transfer the virus to others for about eight days, beginning four days before the rash develops and ending four days after the rash emerges.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF MEASLES?
Measles is a highly contagious infection caused by a virus that replicates in an infected child's or adult's nose and throat. When someone with measles coughs, sneezes, or speaks, infectious droplets spray into the air, where they can be inhaled by others.
Infected droplets may also fall to the ground and remain active and contagious for several hours. After touching a contaminated surface, you can get the virus by putting your fingers in your mouth or nose or rubbing your eyes.
Approximately 90% of vulnerable people who are exposed to the virus will become infected.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR MEASLES?
Measles risk factors include:
- Being unvaccinated: You are far more likely to contract measles if you have not received the immunization.
- Traveling abroad: You are more likely to contract measles if you travel to developing countries where the disease is more prevalent.
- Being vitamin A deficient: You're more likely to experience severe symptoms and consequences if you don't get enough vitamin A in your diet.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF MEASLES?
Measles complications may include:
- Infection of the ear: A bacterial ear infection is one of the most prevalent consequences of measles.
- Croup, laryngitis, or bronchitis: Measles can cause inflammation of your voice box (larynx) or the inner walls that line your lungs' main air channels (bronchial tubes).
- Pneumonia: Pneumonia is a common measles consequence. People with weakened immune systems are more likely to acquire a particularly deadly type of pneumonia, which can be fatal.
- Encephalitis: Encephalitis affects about one in every 1,000 people who contract measles. Encephalitis can occur immediately following measles or months later.
- Pregnancy complications: If you are pregnant, you must take extra precautions to avoid measles, which can cause preterm labor, low birth weight, and maternal mortality.
HOW IS MEASLES DIAGNOSED?
The disease's characteristic rash, as well as a small, bluish-white patch on a bright red backdrop — Koplik's spot — on the inside lining of the cheek, may typically be used to identify measles. Many doctors, however, have never seen measles, and the rash can be confused with a variety of other disorders. A blood test, if necessary, can determine whether the rash is caused by measles. A throat swab or urine sample can also be used to confirm the presence of the measles virus.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR MEASLES?
An established measles infection does not have a specific therapy. However, some precautions can be done to safeguard those who have been exposed to the virus.
- Vaccination after exposure: To provide protection against the disease, nonimmunized persons, including newborns, may be administered the measles vaccination within 72 hours of contact to the measles virus. If measles does develop, it usually has milder symptoms and lasts for a shorter period of time.
- Immune serum globulin: Pregnant women, newborns, and adults with compromised immune systems who are exposed to the virus may receive an injection of immune serum globulin, which contains proteins (antibodies). These antibodies can prevent measles or make symptoms less severe if administered within six days after virus contact.
Medications
- Fever reducers: To assist decrease the fever associated with measles, you or your child may use over-the-counter drugs such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Children's Motrin, others), or naproxen sodium (Aleve).
Children and teenagers with measles should not be given aspirin. Although aspirin is permitted for use in children above the age of three, children and teenagers suffering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take it. This is due to the fact that aspirin has been connected to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal illness in young children.
- Antibiotics: If you or your kid develops a bacterial infection, such as pneumonia or an ear infection, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic.
- Vitamin A: Children with low vitamin A levels are more likely to get a severe case of measles. Giving vitamin A may make the measles less severe. For children above the age of a year, a substantial dose of 200,000 international units (IU) is usually administered.
HOME REMEDIES FOR MEASLES
If you or your kid has measles, stay in touch with your doctor while you monitor the disease's progression and look for consequences. Also, consider the following comfort measures:
- Relax: Rest and avoid strenuous activities.
- Drink something: To replace fluids lost due to fever and perspiration, drink plenty of water, fruit juice, and herbal tea.
- Seek respiratory relief: To ease a cough and sore throat, use a humidifier.
- Relax your eyes: If strong light bothers you or your kid, as it does many individuals with measles, dim the lights or wear sunglasses. Avoid reading or watching television if the light from a reading lamp or television bothers you.
HOW CAN MEASLES BE PREVENTED?
To prevent measles, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that both children and adults receive the measles vaccine.
Children's measles vaccine
Doctors normally administer the first dose of the measles vaccination to infants between the ages of 12 and 15 months, with the second dose administered between the ages of 4 and 6 years. Bear in mind:
- If your kid will be 6 to 11 months old when you travel abroad, consult with your child's doctor about having the measles vaccine sooner.
- If your child or adolescent did not receive the two recommended doses, he or she may require two doses of the vaccine four weeks apart.
Adult measles vaccine
You may require the measles vaccine as an adult if you:
- Have a higher risk of measles, such as attending college, traveling internationally, or working in a medical setting, and you do not have confirmation of immunization. Written record of your vaccinations or lab confirmation of immunity or previous illness is proof of immunity.
- You were born in 1957 or later and lack proof of immunity. Written record of your vaccinations or lab confirmation of immunity or previous illness is proof of immunity.
Consult your doctor if you are unsure whether you require the measles vaccine.
Measles prevention during an outbreak or known infection
Take the following actions to safeguard vulnerable relatives and friends if someone in your household has measles:
- Isolation: Because measles is very contagious from four days before to four days after the rash appears, people with measles should avoid activities that require them to engage with other people during this time.
It may also be vital to keep nonimmunized people away from the infected person, such as siblings.
- Vaccinate: Ensure that anyone at risk of having measles who hasn't been fully immunized receives the measles vaccination as soon as feasible. This includes infants older than 6 months, as well as anyone born in 1957 or later who does not have written proof of vaccination, or evidence of immunity or having had measles in the past.
New infection prevention
If you've already had measles, your immune system has been strengthened to combat the infection, and you can't get it again. Most people born or residing in the United States prior to 1957 are immune to measles simply because they have had it previously.
Everyone else can benefit from the measles vaccine, which is necessary for:
- Increasing and sustaining widespread immunity: Despite the fact that not everyone has been vaccinated, measles has been nearly eradicated in the United States since the advent of the vaccine. This is known as herd immunity.
However, herd immunity may be diminishing due to a reduction in vaccination rates. Measles has recently become more common in the United States.
- Preventing a return of measles: Consistent immunization rates are critical because measles returns quickly when vaccination rates fall. A now-discredited study published in 1998 wrongly linked autism to the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
In the United Kingdom, where the survey was conducted, vaccination rates fell to an all-time low of around 80% of all children in 2003-2004. In England and Wales in 2008, there were roughly 1,400 lab-confirmed cases of measles.