Measles has been in the news lately mostly because it is a highly contagious disease which is almost totally preventable.
The measles virus can cause more than just a rash and can be spread easily by patients with the disease before they have symptoms. A person infected with measles is infectious to others 4 days before and 4 days after the rash. If an infected person enters a room and then leaves the measles virus in the air can linger for at least 2 hours. People exposed to the measles virus have a 90% chance of developing the disease from that exposure.
Symptoms of the disease include cough, coryza (symptoms of a head cold and conjunctivitis, a burning sensation of the eyes). Serious complications of measles include a type of pneumonia not treatable with antibiotics, brain inflammation and a depletion of your immune system which makes you more susceptible to other types of infection.
There is no specific cure for measles. Treatment is supportive. This means reducing fever, taking fluids and preventing the patient from being exposed to those with other infections.
Although there is no cure for measles it can be almost totally prevented by a safe vaccine usually given in 2 doses. One dose between 12 and 15 months and another between 4 and 6 years of age. It conveys 93% immunity after one dose and 97% after the second. The vaccine is called MMR and contains vaccines against mumps virus and RSV as well.
