Measles is a potentially serious respiratory disease caused by the measles virus. The illness is highly contagious and is easily spread through coughing and sneezing, particularly since the virus can survive for up to two hours outside the human body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You can get measles if you breathe in contaminated air or touch your eyes, nose, or mouth after touching a contaminated surface — especially if you haven’t received the measles vaccine. If you contract measles virus, you won’t immediately experience any symptoms. There is an “incubation period,” during which people are asymptomatic while the virus replicates and spreads throughout the body before causing symptoms.
Progression of Symptoms
After being exposed to the virus, it takes an average of 8 to 12 days for the first symptom — high fever — to appear, according to report in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. Fever is often accompanied by:
CoughRunny noseConjunctivitis, or red, watery eyes
Tiny white spots, called Koplik’s spots, may appear in the mouth about 2 to 3 days after symptoms first arise. Several days after symptoms begin, a rash erupts. It typically starts as flat, red spots at the hairline, which then spread across the face and upper neck. Over the next 3 days, the rash will spread down the body to eventually reach the hands and feet. Small, raised bumps may develop inside of the red spots, and the spots may become joined together. In all, the rash can last from 3 to 7 days. Fever usually persists for 2 to 3 days after the rash begins, and may reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees C) during the rash period, according to the CDC. The cough, on the other hand, may last for up to 10 days, according to the Journal of Infectious Diseases report. Other measles symptoms may include:
Muscle and abdominal painLight sensitivitySore throatHeadacheSwollen lymph nodesBloodshot eyes
Common Measles Complications
Measles suppresses the immune system, causing about 30 percent of people with measles to experience one or more complications, according to the Immunization Action Coalition. Complications are most common in children under 5 years old and adults over 20 years old, and may be worse in people with a vitamin A deficiency or those with immune systems weakened by HIV/AIDS or other diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The most common complication is ear infection, or otitis media — it occurs in about 14 percent of measles-inflicted children under 5 years old, according to the Journal of Infectious Diseases report. Otitis media results in ear pain, diminished hearing, and ear drainage in adults, but children may experience additional symptoms, including headache, fever, and loss of balance. In the worst cases, measles can cause permanent hearing loss. Diarrhea is another common complication of measles, affecting about 8 percent of people with measles. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration. Measles can also cause the voice box (larynx) and airways to become inflamed, causing laryngitis, bronchitis, and croup (laryngotracheobronchitis), a type of “barking” cough that’s accompanied by breathing difficulties.
Serious Measles Complications
As many as one out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the leading cause of measles-related death in children, according to the CDC. Another cause of measles-related death is encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. It occurs in 1 out of every 1,000 children with measles, and can also cause convulsions, which can result in deafness and mental retardation, according to the CDC.
Measles and SSPE
In rare cases, people develop subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a potentially deadly disease of the central nervous system, which arises 7 to 10 years after having measles. SSPE is caused by the persistence of the virus in the central nervous system and often causes behavioral disorders, which may result in it being misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem. In the United States, SSPE affects, on average, 1 out of every 8.5 million people with measles, but the rate may be higher in other countries, the Journal of Infectious Diseases report notes. SSPE develops slowly and eventually puts people in a vegetative state. Other infrequent complications of measles include:
SeizuresInflammation of the cornea (keratitis)BlindnessMalnutritionLow blood platelet count
Additionally, measles during pregnancy may cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, or low birth weight. Sources:
Measles; WHOComplications of Measles; CDCOrenstein et al. (2004). “The Clinical Significance of Measles: A Review.” The Journal of Infectious Diseases.Measles chapter of the Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (Pink Book); CDCMeasles: Questions and Answers; Immunization Action Coalition
