Measles

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can cause severe disease, complications, and even death. 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. The vaccine is safe and helps your body fight off the virus.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of measles usually begin 10–14 days after exposure to the virus. A prominent rash is the most visible symptom. Early symptoms usually last 4–7 days. They include:

• running nose
• cough
• red and watery eyes
• small white spots inside the cheeks.

The rash begins about 7–18 days after exposure, usually on the face and upper neck. It spreads over about 3 days, eventually to the hands and feet. It usually lasts 5–6 days before fading.

Most deaths from measles are from complications related to the disease.

Transmission

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases, spread by contact with infected nasal or throat secretions (coughing or sneezing) or breathing the air that was breathed by someone with measles. The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours. For this reason, it is very infectious, and one person infected by measles can infect nine out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts. It can be transmitted by an infected person from four days prior to the onset of the rash to four days after the rash erupts.

Measles outbreaks can result in severe complications and deaths, especially among young, malnourished children. In countries close to measles elimination, cases imported from other countries remain an important source of infection.

Prevention:

Community-wide vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles. All children should be vaccinated against measles. The vaccine is safe, effective and inexpensive.

Children should receive two doses of the vaccine to ensure they are immune. The first dose is usually given at 9 months of age in countries where measles is common and 12–15 months in other countries. A second dose should be given later in childhood, usually at 15–18 months.

The measles vaccine is given alone or often combined with vaccines for mumps, rubella and/or varicella.

Fact Source- WHO https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/measles