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Anyone can get measles, but the illness is more severe in children and adults with a weakened immune system. Measles is very contagious and causes a total-body skin rash and flu-like symptoms.
Measles is uncommon in the United States thanks to widespread immunization. Measles outbreaks still occur.
Childhood measles symptoms typically start with a persistent cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. A high fever that may spike above 104°F comes along shortly after.
Symptoms usually appear one or two weeks following exposure to the measles virus. A few days later, a rash of flat red spots emerges, starting at the hairline and gradually spreading down to cover the face, neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of these red spots.
Ear infection, diarrhea and pneumonia are the most common complications that can arise. Young children and those with a weakened immune system are most at risk of complications.
Severe cases can lead to encephalitis, which may result in seizures and brain inflammation.
Nine out of 10 people who aren’t vaccinated for measles will get it if they are near an infected person. Ensuring children receive the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is crucial for disease control and prevention in communities.
Measles spreads when people breathe in or have direct contact with virus-infected fluid. It can pass through droplets sprayed into the air by a sneeze or cough.
Measles is contagious from the first sign of symptoms until four days or so after the rash starts. People with weakened immune systems can be contagious for a longer period.
Kids with measles should be closely monitored by a medical provider to watch for development of severe complications. Measles can cause a child to get very sick and sometimes die.
A measles infection and the medical problems that may follow can last for several weeks.
Your health care provider can give an injection of measles antibodies (called immune globulin) to at-risk people who are exposed to measles. It’s most effective when given within six days of contact. These antibodies can either prevent measles or make symptoms less severe.
Measles complications can be deadly. Children and adults can experience pneumonia and encephalitis (swelling of the brain), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the CDC:
Measles vaccination is the best way to protect your kids from the virus.
Measles protection is part of the MMR vaccine or measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine (MMRV) given when children are 12 to 15 months old and again when they’re 4 to 6 years old. About 95% of people achieve immunity during their first vaccine, and the rest develop it the second time they’re vaccinated. Immunity usually lasts a lifetime.
The first vaccine can be given to babies as young as 6 months old if they will be traveling internationally. Talk to your doctor to see when the vaccine is needed.
It’s important for all kids who can get the vaccine to get it on time. Some at-risk people (such as those with weak immune systems) can’t get the vaccine. But when a lot of other people are immunized against a disease, it protects them, prevents the disease from spreading and helps prevent outbreaks.
At highest risk during a measles outbreak are:
A dose of the measles vaccine also can help protect unvaccinated people from getting sick after exposure to measles if they get it within three days.
Contact your health care provider right away if you think that your child has measles. Also call if your child was around someone who has measles, especially if your child is an infant, takes medicines that suppress the immune system, has cancer or another disease that affects the immune system or hasn’t gotten two doses of the measles vaccine.