measles

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease marked by fever, cough, conjunctivitis, and a blotchy rash. It is most common in children.

No drug is effective against measles. The only treatment required is control of fever, rest in bed, protection of the eyes, care of the bowels, and sometimes steam inhalations to relieve irritation of the bronchial tree. When no complications occur, the illness lasts 10 days.

Measles complications are frequent and include superimposed bacterial ear infection, pneumonia, and lung infection. The virus can also cause hepatitis, appendicitis, and gangrene of the extremities. Encephalitis is a rare occurrence. Deaths attributed to measles usually result from secondary bronchopneumonia caused by bacterial organisms entering the inflamed bronchial tree.

Measles is most common in children but may appear in older persons who escaped it earlier in life. Immunity to measles following an attack is usually lifelong.

Measles vaccines are live vaccines that work against measles alone or in combination with other agents, specifically with rubella (MR), mumps and rubella (MMR), or mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV). The vaccines are typically given in two doses, the first before 15 months of age and the second dose later; timing of the dosages varies by country or region.