Measles is an acute infectious disease characterized by general intoxication, inflammatory phenomena from the mucous membranes of the eyes, nasopharynx, upper respiratory tract, and a characteristic rash.

The causative agent of measles is a virus. It is not stable in the external environment: it dies at room temperature for 5-6 hours.

The only source of infection is a sick person. The spread of the virus occurs when sneezing, coughing, talking with droplets of saliva. If a person has not had measles or has not been vaccinated against this infection, then after contact with the patient, infection occurs in almost 100% of cases. The measles virus has a very high volatility. The virus can spread through ventilation pipes and elevator shafts – children living on different floors of the house get sick at the same time.   Unlike children, adult patients rarely have a rough, barking cough, stenotic breathing, at the same time bronchitis, tracheitis with dry cough are characteristic. In rare cases, catarrhal phenomena are accompanied by asthenia and dyspeptic disorders, joint pain. At the same time, the so—called measles enanthema appears on the mucous membranes of the lips, cheeks and gums, on the conjunctiva-Belsky-Filatov-Koplik spots, towering whitish-yellowish “dots” above the surface of the mucous membrane. This is an important early diagnostic sign of measles, lasting 2-3 days. From the beginning of the peak period, when a rash appears, the patient’s condition worsens, intoxication increases. The temperature is kept at high numbers. During the rash, catarrhal symptoms, lacrimation, photophobia, cough, laryngitis persist, and puffiness of the face increases. Measles in adults often occurs with early damage to the nervous system in the form of drowsiness, a sharp headache. The exanthema is characterized by a papular-spotted character, a tendency to merge, and the stage of appearance: the first elements of the rash are found on the face and behind the ears, during the day the rash covers the entire face, neck, and partially the upper part of the chest. It is characterized by filling the nasolabial triangle with a rash. On the 2nd day, the exanthema spreads to the trunk and proximal parts of the limbs, and on the 3rd day – to the entire surface of the limbs. The fading rash acquires a bluish hue, then turns into light brown spots. The period of rash extinction, or pigmentation period, begins. It lasts from 3 to 8 days.    The extinction of the rash is accompanied by a fine bran-like peeling of the skin of the face and trunk. Peeling lasts 5-7 days. It is most pronounced on the face, palms and soles. Depending on the nature of the rash and the severity of the disease, there are separate clinical forms of measles: mild, moderate, severe and mitigated (erased). Measles is observed in children who have received prophylaxis with measles immunoglobulin. Complications of measles are possible in the form of pneumonia, otitis media, stomatitis, thrombophlebitis, encephalitis, myocarditis, glomerulonephritis, strepto- and staphylodermatitis, furunculosis.  The cause of complications can be both the measles virus and the secondary microbial flora. Complications are observed more often in patients weakened by previous diseases, suffering from allergic diseases. The immunity of patients who have had measles is quite stable. Repeated measles cases are rare. For the second time, people who have had measles at an early age, who have had it in a mitigated form, and who have received antibacterial therapy for measles (!!!) become ill.  A strict proof of measles disease is either the isolation of the measles virus from the patient, or serological confirmation of the presence of the virus in the body – the appearance of specific class M antibodies or an increase in the titer of class G antibodies in the blood serum. Drug treatment is pathogenetic and symptomatic in nature. In case of fever and intoxication, non–specific anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed; in case of cough, expectorants and mucolytics, etc. Antibiotics are not prescribed for uncomplicated course!!! Complications are treated according to their localization and etiology.

Measles prevention    

Vaccination is a decisive, affordable and effective method of fighting infection. In accordance with the National Calendar of Preventive Vaccinations, routine vaccination of children against measles is carried out at the age of 12 months and again at 6 years old. And adults aged 18-35 who have not been ill, have not been vaccinated or have no information about measles vaccination.    Vaccination is necessary for all those who have come into contact with a measles patient who do not have reliable information about a measles vaccination or measles in the past. Measles vaccines create reliable immunity that lasts for more than 20 years. Vaccination prevents the development of measles, even if it is carried out during a worsening epidemic situation.