Measles rubeola | Overview
Measles rubeola | Symptoms & Causes
In-Depth
Ronald Samuels, MD, MPH, Boston Children's Hospital Division of General Pediatrics
What is measles, exactly?
Measles, also called rubeola, "10-day measles" or "red measles," is a very contagious viral illness that causes a distinct rash, fever and cough.
Is measles common?
Thanks to the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine, cases are relatively rare in the United States. In fact, since the vaccine was introduced in 1963, cases of the measles in the country have been virtually non-existent—until recently.
Outbreaks of measles have begun to emerge, believed to stem from unimmunized people traveling to or from countries with a high incidence of measles, and then spreading the infection to unimmunized individuals here in the U.S.
In Massachusetts alone, 24 cases of measles have been reported in 2011 ... 19 of them since May.
Can anything be done to prevent measles?
Since the use of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine, the number of children infected with measles has dropped by 99 percent. About 5 percent of measles are due to vaccine failure.
The vaccine is usually given when your child is 12 to 15 months old, and then again when he is between 4 and 6 years old.
Causes
What causes measles?
Measles is caused by morbillivirus, which is mostly seen in the winter and spring. It's spread from one child to another through direct contact with discharge from the nose and throat. Sometimes, it is spread through airborne droplets (from a cough or sneeze) from an infected child.
Signs and symptoms
What are the symptoms of measles?
It may take between eight to 12 days for your child to develop symptoms of measles after being exposed to the disease.
It's important to know that your child is contagious one to two days before the onset of symptoms and three to five days after the rash develops. While symptoms may vary from child to child, they typically include:
- hacking cough
- redness and irritation of the eyes
- fever
- small red spots with white centers that appear on the inside of the cheek (these usually occur two days before the rash on the skin appears)
- a rash (deep, red and flat, starting on the face and spreading down to the trunk, arms and legs; this rash usually begins as small, distinct lesions, which then combine as one big rash)
The most serious complications from measles can include:
- pneumonia
- encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
- death
Pregnant women who develop measles are at higher risk of miscarriage and premature birth.
Measles rubeola | Testing & Diagnosis
How is measles diagnosed?
Measles is usually diagnosed based on a complete medical history and physical exam of your child. The rash measles causes is unique, and usually allows for an accurate diagnosis.
In addition, your child's doctor may order blood or urine tests to confirm the diagnosis.
Measles rubeola | Treatments
How is measles usually treated?
The goal of treatment for measles is to help prevent the disease, or decrease the severity of the symptoms. Since it is a viral infection, there is no cure for measles.
Traditional treatments for measles include:
- increased fluid intake
- acetaminophen (Tylenol ®) for fever (do not give aspirin!)
If your child was exposed to measles and has not been immunized, your child's doctor may give him the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine within 72 hours to help prevent the disease from emerging.
Measles rubeola | Research & Clinical Trials
Children's HealthMap iPhone app helps track disease outbreaks in real time
Boston Children's Hospital's HealthMap team has introduced a mobile phone application, “Outbreaks Near Me,” which provides location-based alerts for disease outbreaks (including measles outbreaks) using the GPS of a user’s iPhone. Learn more.
