Measles, a highly contagious disease seen all over the world, is caused by a virus. The disease caused by the measles virus develops acutely and causes skin rashes. The incubation period of measles, which is transmitted from person to person through airborne droplets, is between 10 and 14 days. Measles usually occurs in childhood. It becomes common in late winter and early spring. Once the disease is common among young children, the person becomes immune to the measles virus and never gets the same disease again. Measles, which can also occur in naïve and unvaccinated adults, initially causes symptoms similar to a simple upper respiratory tract infection. Measles is characterized by red-colored rashes that start from the neck and face of the person and spread to the body.
What is Measles?
Measles, which is a vaccine-preventable disease, can cause many different health problems. The first dose of vaccination is given when the baby is only 9 months old. However, a single dose is not enough to gain immunity. In other words, at least 2 doses of vaccine are required to gain immunity. "What is measles?" It is necessary to answer the question.
Measles is one of the diseases that is common in childhood but can be seen in all age groups. Humans are the only known source of measles disease caused by the measles virus. In other words, the mode of transmission of the disease is from person to person. The disease, also known as rubeola or morbilli in medical language, can also be defined as a viral infection of the respiratory system. The disease, which is common all over the world, is highly contagious and can lead to serious complications.
It is seen as an epidemic in areas where active immunization is not done by vaccination. As a result, approximately 1 million children worldwide die each year due to measles. According to the data of the World Health Organization (WHO, WHO), the annual number of cases resulting in death is 2.6 million. All of these cases were from unvaccinated people.
The virus defined as the measles virus is rubeola virus belonging to the paramyxoviridae family. The host of the measles virus, a type of RNA virus, is humans. It is resistant to temperatures below 20 degrees, above 37 degrees, ultraviolet rays and pH changes. The measles virus, which can hang in the air for up to 1 hour, can be transmitted to the person due to inhalation of this air.
Exposing to factors such as coughing or sneezing by an infected person or having physical contact with an infected person can lead to the transmission of the disease. "What are the symptoms of measles?" It is necessary to answer the question.
What are the Symptoms of Measles?
The first symptoms of the disease appear approximately 8 to 12 days after the measles virus is transmitted to the person. These symptoms are often similar to a simple upper respiratory tract infection. Symptoms such as runny nose, cough, sneezing, weakness, fatigue, high fever, sore throat, small gray-like spots (Koplik spots) in the mouth, around the gums, inside the cheeks, sensitivity to light on the 1st to 3rd days of the disease seen between On the 4th to 8th days of the illness, the fever ranges from 39 to 41 degrees.
A rash starts behind the ear and neck. These rashes first spread to the face, trunk, and then to the arms and legs. In measles, the rash is red and brown in color with a flat form and a slight swelling on the skin surface. While the rashes are separate lesions on the arms and legs, they tend to merge on the trunk. Rashes that spread all over the body last about 4 days.
Afterwards, it fades down from the head area with a slight peeling and disappears. With the disappearance of the rash, the person's fever also decreases. However, the cough caused by the disease lasts for about 10 days.
High fever lasting more than 5 days may indicate that different complications such as pneumonia or otitis media have developed due to measles. About 30% of measles cases develop one or more complications. The risk of complications is much higher, especially in children under 1 year of age and in unvaccinated adults. Measles; diarrhea, It can also lead to diseases such as blindness and brain inflammation.
The disease, defined as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), occurs when the measles virus settles in the brain. The disease, which is a progressive and chronic disease that causes nerve damage in the brain, occurs 5 to 6 years after the person has measles. . An infected person is considered contagious for 4 days before the onset of the rash and 4 days after the onset of the rash.
How Is Measles Transmitted?
Rubeola, a member of the paramyxoviridae family of the Morbillivirus virus species The virus is the cause of measles. Rubeola virus, also known as measles virus, is an RNA virus and is very contagious. The only source of transmission of the disease is humans.
The inhalation of saliva droplets from an infected person while speaking, coughing or sneezing by a healthy person is sufficient for measles to be transmitted. The virus, which gets into the air when the person sneezes, hangs in the air for an hour. Therefore, respiratory contact is an important factor in the transmission of the disease. A healthy person can also become infected if, after touching these objects, he or she puts his hands in his mouth, nose or eyes without soaping his hands. When the measles virus reaches a healthy person, it enters the part where the person's throat and nose meet (Nasopharyngeal epithelium) and reaches the lymph nodes in the region.
From here, it spreads to the whole body through the circulatory system. It continues to multiply by entering the cell systems in various organs. With the response of the humoral and immune system on the 15th to 17th days of the disease, the proliferation of the virus is stopped and the disease is brought under control.
Can Measles Be Prevented?
The safest and most effective way to prevent measles is to be vaccinated. The protection rate increases to 93% after the first dose of measles vaccine, and to 97% after the second dose. Spread of measles In order to prevent it, it is recommended that the infected person stay away from healthy individuals by applying social isolation. The biggest risk factor for measles is being unvaccinated. Traveling to countries where measles is common is not recommended.
When to Get Measles Vaccine?
Vaccination, which is the most effective way to prevent measles, is routinely administered during childhood. The measles vaccine, which is given in 2 doses, is given when the child is 9 months old. The second dose is administered between the ages of 4 and 6 years. Although the second dose of the vaccine is not recommended before this time, if the child needs to travel to measles risk areas before this age range, the second dose can be given earlier. People who have not been vaccinated before, who have not been immunized, or who are not sure about being vaccinated, can also have the measles vaccine in 2 doses. The diagnosis is made when the physician sees skin rash and intraoral lesions, which are common in measles, during the examination. When the physician deems it necessary, he may request additional laboratory tests to rule out other diseases and to clarify the current diagnosis.
Diagnosis is made in the light of the findings. Although there is a preventive treatment for measles, there is no definitive cure for the disease. However, the physician may prescribe some medications to control the fever due to the disease. In addition, in the presence of complications such as ear infection or pneumonia, the physician may prescribe antibiotics to the person.
Vitamin A supplementation is also effective in reducing the severity of the symptoms seen due to the disease. Therefore, the physician may recommend the use of different drugs according to the patient's current condition.
If you or your child has not yet had measles vaccination, you can be vaccinated and protected from measles by applying to the nearest health institution.
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