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« Back to Glossary Index

Measles Signs and Symptoms
- Symptoms typically appear 10-14 days after exposure
- Classic symptoms include a four-day fever and the three Cs (cough, coryza, conjunctivitis)
- Fever can reach up to 40°C (104°F)
- Kopliks spots, small white spots inside the mouth, are diagnostic for measles
- Measles rash starts on the ears, spreads to the head and neck, and then covers the body

Measles Complications
- Common complications include diarrhea, middle ear infection, and pneumonia
- Measles can suppress the immune system, leading to bacterial superinfections
- Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is a rare but lethal complication
- Infants, adults over 20 years, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems are at high risk
- Case fatality rate ranges from 0.3% to 28% depending on the region and healthcare quality

Measles Cause and Transmission
- Measles is caused by the measles virus, a highly contagious RNA virus
- The virus is spread through coughing, sneezing, and direct contact with secretions
- Measles virus belongs to the Morbillivirus genus within the Paramyxoviridae family
- Measles is an airborne disease that spreads easily through coughs and sneezes
- Direct contact with mouth or nasal secretions can also transmit the virus
- The disease is extremely contagious, with a high transmission rate
- People are infectious to others from four days before to four days after the rash appears
- Measles primarily affects developing areas of Africa and Asia

Measles Prevention and Impact
- Measles vaccine is highly effective and safe
- Vaccination has resulted in an 80% decrease in measles deaths between 2000 and 2017
- About 85% of children worldwide have received their first dose of the vaccine
- Measles affects about 20 million people annually, causing significant morbidity and mortality
- Global vaccination programs have reduced measles deaths from 2.6 million in 1980 to 73,000 in 2014

Measles Diagnosis, Laboratory Testing, and Treatment
- Clinical diagnosis based on fever, malaise, cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis
- Observation of Kopliks spots is diagnostic
- Other conditions with similar symptoms include parvovirus, dengue fever, Kawasaki disease, and scarlet fever
- Laboratory confirmation is recommended
- Measles IgM antibodies or measles virus RNA can be detected for confirmation
- Measles diagnosis can be done through measles IgM antibodies or measles virus RNA detection
- Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay is used for RNA detection
- Saliva can be collected for salivary measles-specific IgA testing
- Salivary testing is not ideal due to the presence of other fluids and proteins
- Saliva contains fewer antibodies than blood samples, making testing difficult
- There is no specific antiviral treatment for measles
- Medications aim to treat superinfections, maintain hydration, and provide pain relief
- Vitamin A is given to young children and severely malnourished individuals to boost antibody responses and decrease complications
- Supportive treatment includes ibuprofen or paracetamol for fever and pain relief
- Vitamin A is recommended to decrease the risk of blindness, but does not prevent or cure the disease

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