Measles What we need to know

05.06.2024

Measles virus is a member of the paramyxovirus family of single-stranded RNA, along with respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza virus.

Table of Contents

The virus can be severe in children, especially infants.

The virus spreads from the infected person through air-droplet.

Symptoms

The disease is characterized by a gradual course, which lasts for about 3 weeks. The incubation period includes 10-14 days, during which symptoms are not developed. Manifestation of the clinical picture begins with a prodromal period, which proceeds with high fever, cough, rhinitis, general symptoms of infection, and whitish plaques on the cheek mucosa. This phase lasts 2-3 days and is followed by a maculo-papular (spotted-nodular) rash, which first develops in the forehead and behind the ears and spreads to the chest and then to the extremities. The shedding stage lasts 4-5 days.

A person is contagious 4 days before the development of the discharge and 4 days after the development of the discharge.

During the recovery phase, all areas of the skin, except for the cores of the hands and feet, peel off, which lasts an average of 5 days. In case of complications, the symptoms last no more than 10 days. Cough is the last to go away.

Measles is highly contagious. The virus multiplies in the human nose and is spread by airborne droplets and infected surfaces, on which it remains active for several hours.

Complications

Pregnant women, people with immunodeficiency and malnutrition have a particularly high risk of developing complications such as: pneumonia, infectious diseases of the central nervous system - encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, Guillain Barre syndrome, hemiplegia and retrobulbar neuritis.

Unlike rubella, measles does not have a teratogenic effect in pregnant women, does not cause congenital pathologies of the fetus. However, it can cause premature termination of pregnancy or premature birth.

Pneumonia accompanying measles develops directly from the measles virus or as a result of bacterial superinfection.

Subacute musculogenic panencephalitis is a rare (1:100) neurological complication of measles that develops as a result of persistent infection, years after exposure. It is more common in children who had measles before the age of 000 years.

Diagnosis

Measles diagnostics is based on clinical data - identification of discharge and spots on the oral mucosa. However, serological diagnostics allows for accurate diagnostics.

Measles virus IgM, IgG

The study of antibodies makes it possible to determine post-vaccination immunity, or the presence of infection in the body.

IgM antibodies It develops in the acute phase of the disease, reaches its maximum titer a few days after the beginning of the disease and begins to decrease in 3-4 weeks. A positive indicator of IgM antibodies is a confirmation of the acute phase of the disease.

IgG antibodies It develops later, during the recovery phase. The presence of IgG indicates a transmitted disease or post-vaccination immunity.