Signs and Symptoms of Measles

Signs and Symptoms of Measles

Measles is a viral disease which mainly affects the respiratory system of human and it is highly contagious. It is reported as the main causes of the death of about 164000 people in the whole world among them maximum are children under the age of 5. Vaccination can be a great way to reduce the possibility of getting affected by this disease. This disease is usually caused paramyxoviruses which belong to the genus morbillivirus which are enveloped, single stranded, negative sense RNA virus. It is exclusively human disease, still not found to affect any other animals. 

The virus causing this disease usually affects the cells of the human body which lie in the line of the back of the throat and the lungs. There are two types of measles, each caused by different type of virus. Being two completely different diseases they both produces rash as well as fevers too. Measles is also known as morbilli, rubeola, or red measles. It is usually spread through the air from the cough as well as sneeze of the affected persons though it can also be spread through saliva or nasal secretion of the infected patients. 

Most people affected by this disease who lives close to an infected person. This disease can be diagnosed by specific clinical laboratory testing. Vaccine reduce the disease significantly, right now 85% of children in the world are vaccinated for the prevention of this disease. There are some developing countries where measles is highly endemic still now.

              This disease also exhibits some clinical symptoms from which it can be diagnosed. The signs and symptoms caused due to the infection of this vary from mild to severe from person to person. 

Some classic sign and symptoms of this disease are discussed in the following:

 

• ·         Fever is the most common symptom of this disease which may last from almost one week in many cases. The temperature of the body of the patient usually grows up to 104°F.
• ·         Cough, coryza (head cold, fever, sneezing), and conjunctivitis (red eyes) are reported as the most common preliminary symptoms of this disease which is found almost all the persons who are affected by this disease.
• ·         Koplik's spots is found inside the mouth of the person who is affected by this disease, By the detection of this spot in the earlier stage of this disease reduces the spread of the disease by proper medication.
• ·         Red maculopapular rashes which first started in the back of the ear after suffering some days from fever it suddenly starts spreading across the whole body from head as well as throat too.
• ·         Itching may be found one of the common symptoms in the later stage of this disease.
• ·         Outcome of some complication as the after effect of this disease may be occurred like diarrhoea or pneumonia which needs to be treated separately rather than this disease.
• ·         Otitis media and acute brain inflammation may be occurred if the person is affected severely by this disease and not treated for a long time.
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