There has recently been a great deal of media attention on measles, mostly stemming from cases associated with visitors to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reported that a total of 125 measles cases were confirmed in U.S. residents between December 28, 2014 and February 13, 2015, connected with this outbreak. Of these, 110 patients (88 percent) were California residents.
Measles 101
Measles, also known as rubeola, is a viral illness. It is characterized by a distinct rash and a fever. Measles is very contagious. It is spread through airborne droplets of nasal secretions. When infected people cough or sneeze, droplets spray into the air and can remain active and contagious for two hours. Once a common childhood disease, it is now rare due to effective immunizations in developed countries. Although usually a mild illness in children, measles can have serious complications in adults. It can be fatal to children and adults with weak immune systems.
According to the CDC:
- Ear infections occur in about one out of every 10 children with measles and can result in permanent hearing loss.
- As many as one out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.
- About one child out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain) that can lead to convulsions and can leave the child deaf or with intellectual disability.
- For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from it.
- Measles may cause pregnant woman to give birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby.
Symptoms
Measles usually begin with flu-like symptoms. However, each person may experience symptoms differently, including:
- Fever
- Runny nose
- Sore, pink eyes (conjunctivitis)
- Cough
- Feeling ill
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Headache.
In most cases, three to four days into the course of the disease, tiny white spots appear on the inside of the mouth. Within another few days, a red rash appears, covering the whole body. Once this rash appears, the fever may get much worse. This rash fades after four to seven days as symptoms subside.
Prevention
The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is recommended during childhood. People who have had the measles are immune for life. However, if you work at an educational institution, in a health care setting or are planning international travel, you may want to be vaccinated to boost your immunity. As there has been nearly no measles circulating in the United States until recently, immunity in most adults has waned.
Usually, the first dose of the MMR vaccine is given when a child is 12 months old and a second dose is given at four to six years of age. Infants age six through 11 months who are at risk for catching measles, such as before international travel, may receive one dose although they will still need two more doses.
If you have measles, take special care to avoid other people or public places for about a week after the onset of rash. This will help to prevent an outbreak.