Measles-I

Measles is a contagious, air-borne viral illness causing distinctive red-brown spots, fever and cough. Children between one and four years are most commonly affected. However, people who have not been immunized with the MMR vaccine are likely to get infected by the virus. Treatment is generally not required as the body’s immune system fights the infection over a period of two weeks. Once infected, a person develops life-long immunity to the virus.

Symptoms

The following symptoms appear, 9-11 days after the measles infection is contracted:

• A mild to high body temperature which might even touch 105F or 40.6C for several days before the rash comes up. The temperature may go down for few days and then rise again when the rash appears.
• Red eyes with light sensitivity.
• Running nose, sneezing, watery eyes and swollen eyelids
• Body aches and pains
• Low appetite for food
• Dry cough
• Low energy levels, general weakness and irritability
• Small greyish-white spots (Koplik’s spots) appear in mouth and throat
• Red-brown spotty rash starts to appear on the 3rd or 4th day of the early symptoms and stay for 8 days. The spots first show up behind the ears, spread to the head and neck and finally to the rest of the body. The small spots join to become bigger within a couple of days.
• Similar rashes could be mistaken for measles. One should consult doctor in case body temperature goes beyond 38C and stays high even after other symptoms disappear, rashes worsen, signs of other related illness.

Causes

The cause of measles is infection with rubeola virus, which lives in the mucus of nose and throat once in the body. It spreads through physical contact and infected air droplets from coughing and sneezing. These infected mucus droplets can remain active for couple of hours on certain breeding surfaces. Once the virus enters human body, it multiplies in the rear part of throat and lungs, finally spreading to the rest of the body and affecting the respiratory system and skin.
The virus may take one to three weeks to incubate, however, symptoms start showing up usually after 10days. Virus is most infectious from 2-4 days before the rash to 5 days after the rash appears.
Normally, once infected, body develops a life-long immunity to the virus infection. Re-infection cases are very rare.

Treatment

• There is no treatment as such as the body’s immune system takes over to fight the infection. Once the symptoms appear, one needs to just treat the symptoms till the infection subsides. The below tips might help to fight the symptoms:Record body temperature and try to keep the body cool, not allowing the temperature to go high.
• Paracetamol or iboprufen can help relieve fever and body aches and pains for children under 12 years. Aspirin can be used for adults.
• Reduce sensitivity to light by dimming lights, pulling curtains.
• Dry cough can benefit from humidifying the room by keeping a water bowl. Medications are of little use, however, some home remedies like lemon juice and honey in warm water can help.
• Eye discharges can be cleaned using a damp cotton wool wipe, to avoid crustiness around the eye.
• Tackle dehydration by drinking lots of water and fluids.
• Antibiotics do not help against viral infections, however these can be prescribed for any secondary bacterial infections that develop.
• Hospitalization may be required in severe cases when serious complications arise.