Measles is a highly contagious disease that progresses with signs and symptoms such as fever, persistent cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, small red spots that begin near the scalp and then descend and spread throughout the body.
Measles treatment is done to relieve symptoms because it is caused by a virus and therefore the body can get rid of it on its own, without the need for antibiotics.
- The measles vaccine is the best way to prevent the disease and is part of the children’s basic vaccination program.
- This vaccine is very effective.
- But because the virus can mutate.
- Sometimes even vaccinated people can become infected with measles years later.
The measles vaccine is usually given free of charge at 12 months of age, with a booster between 15 and 24 months. For tetraviral vaccine, the dose is usually unique and should be given between 12 months and 5 years.
There are 2 main ways to receive the measles vaccine, the exclusive vaccine or the combined vaccine:
Anyone can be vaccinated, as long as they haven’t received the vaccine, but the measles vaccine can also be given to people who are exposed to the virus, as is the case when parents have not been vaccinated and have a child with measles. But, in this case, for this to take effect, the person must be vaccinated up to 3 days after the symptoms of the person with which he or she has had contact.
The most common symptoms of measles include
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A diagnosis of measles can be made by looking at your signs and symptoms, especially in the places most affected by the disease, or in the event of an epidemic, but a blood test that shows the presence of measles viruses and antibodies may be necessary when you are in a place rarely affected by the disease.
Other diseases that can cause similar symptoms and therefore be confused with measles include rubella, roseola, scarlet fever, Kawasaki disease, infectious mononucleosis, Rocky Mountain purple fever, enterovirus or adenovirus infection, and drug sensitivity (allergy).
Unlike other diseases such as chickenpox or rubella, measles spots don’t sting the skin.
Treatment of measles involves reducing symptoms through rest, proper hydration, and using fever-lowering medications. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends vitamin A supplementation for all children diagnosed with measles.
The person with measles usually heals completely and manages to heal about 10 days after the onset of symptoms. But antibiotic use may be indicated when there are signs of associated bacterial infection, if the person also has an ear infection or pneumonia, as these are common complications of measles.
Learn more about the options available for measles treatment
Measles is caused by a morbilivirus virus, which can develop and multiply in the mucous membranes of the nose and throat of an infected adult or child. In this way, this virus is easily transmitted in small droplets that are released by coughing, talking or sneezing.
On surfaces, the virus can remain active for up to 2 hours, so you should completely disinfect all surfaces of the rooms where a person with measles has been.
Measles contagion occurs mainly through the air, when an infected person coughs or sneezes and another person nearby inhales these secretions. During the 4 days before the spots of the skin until they disappear completely, the patient is contagious, because that is when the secretions are very active and the person does not take all the necessary precautions not to infect others.
The best way to prevent measles is vaccination against the disease, however, there are some simple precautions that can also help, such as:
Isolating the patient is another way to prevent the spread of the disease, even if only vaccination is really effective. Therefore, if a person is diagnosed with measles, all people who have close contact with him, such as parents and siblings, should be vaccinated, if he has not yet been vaccinated, and the patient must be at home, at rest, without passing. to school or work, so as not to contaminate others.
Discover other ways to protect yourself from measles
In most cases, measles goes away without causing any sequelae in the person, however, in people with weakened immune systems, some complications may occur, such as:
In addition, if measles occurs in pregnant women, there is also a high risk of preterm birth or miscarriage. Get a better understanding of how measles affects pregnancy.
If in doubt, watch the following video, in which our biomedical explains all about measles:
Some situations where the person may have a poor immune system, which their body cannot defend against the measles virus, include people treated for cancer or AIDS, children born with HIV, people who have received an organ transplant or who are malnourished.