What is Measles? Symptoms, Causes, Transmission Routes, and Treatment

Measles

Measles is one of the most contagious viral infectious diseases in human history, characterized by symptoms such as high fever and cough accompanied by a distinct rash on the skin. The measles virus can be easily transmitted through the inhalation of droplets released into the air by coughing or sneezing, or by touching contaminated surfaces. Today, the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, also known as the MMR vaccine, is the most effective known way to prevent measles infection. Measles infection can cause serious complications, especially in children under 5 years of age. Therefore, it is important to take the necessary precautions before it occurs.

What is Measles?

Measles, also known as rubeola, is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by an enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Morbillivirus genus of the Paramyxoviridae family. While it was initially confused with smallpox due to the rashes it caused, it was recognized as a different infection from smallpox after being defined by the physician Al-Razi in the 9th century.

The disease can be easily transmitted through droplets released by an infected person during coughing, sneezing, and talking. In the early stages of the disease, high fever, dry cough, runny nose, redness in the eyes, and sores inside the mouth may be observed. Following these symptoms, skin lesions known as measles rash, which are red, brown, or purple in color, develop, starting on the face and spreading to the entire body over time.

Controlling measles began with the introduction of the first live attenuated vaccine derived from the Edmonston strain in 1963. Looking at the pre-vaccination era, it can be seen that humanity faced a measles epidemic every 2 to 5 years. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 60 million deaths were prevented worldwide between 2000 and 2023 with the expansion of vaccination programs.

Today, measles tends to be on the rise again due to the spread of anti-vaccination sentiments caused by misinformation or limited access to vaccines in some countries. Measles can lead to serious complications in infants and people with weakened immune systems. Reports prepared by the World Health Organization show that more than 207,000 deaths due to measles occurred in 2019 alone.

What Are the Symptoms of Measles?

Symptoms may not appear immediately after exposure to the measles virus. According to studies, the incubation period for measles varies between 10 and 14 days. Measles is an infectious disease that affects the respiratory tract and the skin. In the first stage, the disease manifests itself with symptoms similar to flu symptoms such as high fever, cough, and runny nose. It is very unlikely to catch the disease in people who have received two doses of the vaccine, and even if infected, the disease can be overcome with milder measles symptoms. However, in unvaccinated individuals, especially in children and infants, measles can lead to more serious symptoms.

During the period when flu-like symptoms are seen, the immune system usually weakens. During this period, white lesions may develop inside the mouth. One of the characteristic features of measles is these lesions that appear inside the mouth. In the days following the lesions, a measles rash, which can be both flat and raised, begins, starting from the head region and spreading to the entire body. The initial appearance of measles is usually reddish in light-skinned people and in shades of purple or brown in people with dark skin. After the rashes appear, the fever may intensify in some patients.

The main symptoms of measles are:

High fever, usually 38.5°C and above,

Dry cough,

Sore throat,

Runny nose,

Redness in the eyes,

White spots inside the mouth,

A usually non-itchy rash that starts in the head region and spreads to the body,

Headache,

Muscle and joint pain,

Digestive system problems such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting.

In addition to the above, symptoms such as loss of appetite and irritability can also be counted among the symptoms of measles in infants. Although it is generally thought that measles is seen in infants and children, measles can cause serious complications, especially in adults who have not been vaccinated. Therefore, it is important for adults who have not been vaccinated before to consult a specialist doctor without delay after coming into contact with someone showing symptoms of measles.

What Causes Measles?

Measles is a contagious viral infectious disease caused by the measles virus, which is an enveloped, single-stranded, negative-polarity RNA virus of the Morbillivirus genus belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family. The measles virus is transmitted primarily through the inhalation of droplets released into the air by infected people during coughing, sneezing, or talking. Droplets released into the air can remain suspended for hours. In addition, there is a risk of virus transmission from contaminated surfaces.

Studies show that the measles virus can remain alive on surfaces for up to 2 hours.

Measles can be easily transmitted after healthy people inhale droplets in the environment or touch their mouths, noses, or eyes after touching a surface contaminated with the virus. Research shows that nearly 90% of people who are not immune to measles contract the disease after being in the same environment as an infected person. The difference between measles and rubella, which are often confused with each other among the public, also emerges here. Although rubella, like measles, is a contagious infectious disease, rubella is not as contagious as measles.

How is Measles Diagnosed?

In the process of diagnosing measles, specialists first evaluate the patient's symptoms in detail. High fever, cough, runny nose, redness in the eyes, and especially a rash that starts from the face and spreads to the entire body are the main symptoms of measles. In addition, the presence of white lesions inside the mouth accompanying high fever and cough can create a strong suspicion of measles in specialists. However, physical examination alone may not be sufficient for a definitive diagnosis. Health authorities recommend using various measles testing methods for a definitive diagnosis.

One of the main methods used in the measles diagnostic process is serology tests. Detecting IgM antibodies in a serum sample after the appearance of a measles rash may indicate a current or recently passed measles infection. However, the serology test may initially give a false-negative result. If symptoms persist despite a negative result, the test may need to be repeated within 3 to 10 days. In addition to serology tests, another method used in the diagnosis of measles is the RT-PCR test, which is a molecular diagnostic method. The RT-PCR method, i.e., real-time PCR test, can detect measles RNA in a swab sample taken from the throat or nose.

How is Measles Treated?

There is no known effective drug for the treatment of measles today. Therefore, the essential thing is to take protective measures before measles is transmitted. Measles symptoms can resolve on their own within an average of 3 weeks. During this process, specialists can benefit from some methods to help control the symptoms. For example, some studies show that administering the measles vaccine within 72 hours of exposure to the virus or prescribing a protein called immunoglobulin within 6 days can alleviate symptoms.

In infants, children, and people whose immune systems are suppressed for any reason, measles can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia and vision loss. Specialists may use vitamin A supplementation in some cases to reduce the risk of serious complications such as vision loss and to support the immune system. However, it is important that vitamin A is not used unless prescribed by a doctor, as it can have a toxic effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Measles can be easily transmitted through the inhalation of droplets released into the air during sneezing, coughing, or talking by an infected person. In addition, the virus that causes measles can survive on inanimate surfaces for up to 2 hours. Therefore, touching the face without washing hands with plenty of soap and water after touching surfaces contaminated with the virus can also cause the disease to be transmitted. Measles is seen more frequently in people who have never been vaccinated or have received incomplete doses due to reasons such as limited access to vaccines and anti-vaccination. Especially children under 5 years of age, pregnant women, and those with suppressed immune systems are at higher risk of contracting measles. The measles vaccine is administered as the MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine. This vaccine is given to children in two doses, the first dose at the 12th month and the second dose at the 48th month. In addition, it is important to administer the measles vaccine to adults who have not had the measles vaccine before or who do not remember whether they have had it. Since the measles vaccine is a live vaccine, it is not recommended to be administered during pregnancy. However, it is important to vaccinate unvaccinated pregnant women immediately after birth. Unless any complications such as pneumonia or vision loss are observed, measles usually resolves on its own within 10-14 days. The measles rash appears on the skin in the form of red, purple, or brownish spots and bumps. The rash usually starts in the face area and spreads to the trunk and then to the arms and legs. Measles can cause serious complications in people in the risk group. Among these complications, ear infection, severe diarrhea, resulting fluid loss (dehydration), bronchitis, laryngitis, and pneumonia are in the first place. In more severe cases, serious complications such as vision loss, encephalitis, and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, which is a rare but fatal nervous system disease, can be seen. Once a measles infection is passed, it usually provides lifelong immunity. Immunity obtained through vaccination is also long-lasting. However, in some cases, the infection may recur due to an inadequate immune response. In such cases, a booster dose can be administered if necessary. Since measles is a highly contagious viral infectious disease, it is important for patients to isolate themselves. Specialists recommend staying away from social environments for 4 days after the measles rash has passed. During this process, it is important to consume plenty of fluids, use medications prescribed by doctors to control symptoms such as fever regularly, eat a balanced and healthy diet, and rest. Mild measles symptoms can be overcome at home with methods such as drinking plenty of water, resting, and eating healthy. Taking a warm shower or using a humidifier can help alleviate symptoms such as cough. For children suspected of having measles, a pediatric health and diseases specialist can be consulted first. Pediatricians may refer the patient to the infectious diseases department when necessary.

Early diagnosis and proper management of infectious diseases such as measles are of vital importance, especially for children and individuals in the risk group.

At Hisar Hospital Intercontinental, our pediatric health and diseases and infectious diseases specialists safely carry out diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination processes in line with current medical approaches.

If you are experiencing measles symptoms or would like to get information about vaccination status, you can make an appointment with our specialist physicians for a detailed evaluation.

We are with you with the assurance of Hisar Hospital for your health.