Measles may sound like a benign childhood illness, but that’s because we hadn’t seen it for years. Low vaccine rates mean a return of the highly contagious disease. Dr. Jason Bowling, director of epidemiology at University Health, describes measles, its complications and how it can be much worse for children.
Isn’t measles just another common childhood disease?
Measles was a common childhood disease in the United States. It was considered eliminated in 2000 because of how effective and durable the measles (MMR) vaccine was. But we're always at risk of losing the “eliminated” status if we start to see transmission of measles cases again. That would largely happen if not enough people get vaccinated.
Why are we so concerned about measles spreading to San Antonio?
We are worried about measles because it's highly transmissible. We know there are some people who can't get vaccinated or are unlikely to respond to the vaccine, so we want to prevent it from spreading to those who are vulnerable in our community.
What are complications of measles?
About 30% of people who get measles will develop complications. The most common one is diarrhea. For children, they may face complications such as ear infections and pneumonia.
One in 1,000 people infected can have measles infect their brain and spinal cord. This leads to encephalitis, which can cause significant problems, including coma and/or death.
How is measles transmitted and how contagious is it?
Measles is transmitted through tiny, airborne droplets. It can live in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the room.
Another concern is 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles can become infected.
What is the incubation period for measles?
It can take up to two weeks before someone starts to exhibit signs of measles. In some cases, it can take up to three weeks, but most experience symptoms by two weeks.
People infected with measles can spread the infection from about four days before they develop the measles rash and about four days after that.
How long does measles last and how long are you contagious?
After about two to four days of experiencing symptoms, people will develop a characteristic rash. It starts off in the face, usually around the hairline, then moves down to the rest of the body, including the arms and legs.
The rash tends to be flat red, brown dots and sometimes bumpy. This can last for about a week before it starts to fade in the same order the spots arrived.
What are five symptoms of measles?
The initial and most common symptoms that people experience are cough, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes. These symptoms are similar to upper respiratory infections. Another common symptom of measles is diarrhea.
After these symptoms appear is when people develop the measles rash, which starts around the hairline and then moves down to the body, arms and legs.
What should I not do if I have measles?
If you start to see signs or experience symptoms of measles, do not go out into public spaces, work or school.
Measles is highly transmissible to other people. Do not go to the emergency room or urgent care. Instead, call your health care provider if you need to be seen. Talk with them and communicate your symptoms so that they know to put a mask on you and take you into a private, dedicated room when you arrive. They can also take the appropriate isolation precautions to reduce the risk of other people getting sick.
What kills measles virus?
The measles can fortunately and readily be killed by standard disinfectants. It's also killed by good hand hygiene with soap and water. Using an alcohol-based hand rub, like hand sanitizer, is even better.
What can be mistaken for measles?
There are a number of things that can cause fever and rash that can be confused with measles.
Chickenpox and measles are often confused, especially in children. The key difference is the rash: chickenpox causes fluid-filled blisters, while measles presents as flat, brown spots.
Infants around nine months of age can get a rash called erythema infantum. It’s caused by a virus called HHV-6 and it's nontransmissible like measles.
Bad reactions to drugs and syphilis are also commonly mistaken for measles.
What helps measles go away?
Measles will eventually go away because your immune system will begin to create antibodies in order to help clear it out of your system.
If you are immunocompromised, you are at higher risk for serious complications because you may not have the ability to generate the necessary antibodies. This is why it's important to get the MMR vaccine, so you have those antibodies in your system to help prevent infection, or lessen the severity of the illness if you do get infected.
How fatal is measles?
We have received most of our data from looking at the United States when measles circulated more often. So on a year-to-year basis, there are about 3 million cases of measles with about 500 deaths. The fatality rate isn't high, but it is an avoidable, vaccine preventable disease.
Is measles worse for children?
Young children are at higher risk for some of the complications, particularly for a viral infection called encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain. Children under the age of 2 can also develop a rare and serious brain disease that progresses over seven to 10 years after being infected. This complication does not happen frequently, but when it does, it can be deadly.
Prevention Is Key
The best way to prevent more people from getting sick is to build up herd immunity. This is when a large portion of the community take necessary precautions to avoid spreading an infection (i.e. getting vaccinated).
Help protect your community and stay up to date on your vaccines. University Health pharmacies offer vaccines such as the MMR, flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
Access to Care
If you find yourself without health insurance and need assistance getting an immunization shot, University Health’s Institute for Public Health offers immunization resources that could help cover the cost of your preventive health services.
