Symptoms of measles

Measles disease

The Measles a serious and highly contagious viral disease, belongs to the virus that causes measles viruses mucous , as infection by direct contact with an infected person, or through the spread of the virus in the air, where transmitted The virus infects a person's respiratory system and then spreads to the rest of the body, and it is worth noting that the number of deaths due to infection with the disease before the discovery of the anti-virus vaccine in 1963 was estimated at 2.6 million deaths annually, and despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine , the number of deaths due to measles In 2017, an estimated 110,000 deaths were estimated, with most of them being children under the age of five. ^[1]

Symptoms of measles

Symptoms of measles disease begin to appear after about 9-11 days, and measles infection always accompanies a fever , in addition to at least one of three symptoms represented by conjunctivitis , cough, rhinitis or runny nose The infection may also be accompanied by the appearance of a reddish-brown rash approximately 3-4 days after the onset of symptoms on the affected person, and the rash often begins to appear behind the ears and then gradually spreads to the rest of the body, and it should be noted that the fever may be severe And it reaches 40.6 degrees Celsius in some cases, and it may continue for several days in a row, and it may decrease and rise again when the rash begins . There are a number of other symptoms that may accompany measles, including the following: ^[2]

• Suffering from watery eyes .
• Being sensitive to light.
• Feeling of general pain in the body.
• Sneezing.
• Koplik's spots on the mouth, inside of the cheeks and throat, which are very small grayish-white spots with a bluish-white center.

Complications from measles

There are a number of health complications that may accompany measles, including the following: ^[3]

• Pneumonia: The incidence of pneumonia or pneumonia , a common infection of measles health complications, some people suffering from severe pneumonia may lead to death in cases where the person is suffering from weakness in the immune system .
• Ear infection: One of the most common complications of measles is a bacterial ear infection.
• Encephalitis: Approximately one person out of every thousand people infected with measles suffers from what is known as Encephalitis, and it should be noted that this problem may occur directly after infection with measles, or after several months.
• Respiratory problems: Infection with measles may lead to suffering from laryngitis , or bronchitis, or suffering from croup.
• Pregnancy problems: Infection of a pregnant mother with measles may lead to a number of pregnancy problems, such as: low fetal weight, premature labor , and the death of the pregnant mother.

Measles treatment

Pharmacological treatments

In fact, no specific treatment has yet been developed that can be used when contracting measles, as symptoms often go away on their own within a period ranging between 7-10 days, and in what follows is an explanation of some drug treatments that can be used in this case: ^{[2 ] [4]}

• Measles vaccine: People who have not previously received the measles vaccine, or infants, can receive the vaccine within 72 hours of exposure to the virus to prevent the development of symptoms of the disease, and if symptoms of the disease appear despite receiving the vaccine, the symptoms are often mild and last for a period Just short.
• Immunoglobulin: resort to Balglobolin immune , or antibodies in the event of the suffering of the infected person infected with a weakened immune system, or in the event of injury to children infants or pregnant mother, and you must get this Treatment within a period of up to six days of exposure to the virus, in order to reduce the symptoms of the disease, or to prevent the symptoms from appearing permanently.
• Heat heatsinks: can resort to the use of some drugs antipyretics, such as: drug ibuprofen , and paracetamol , and helps these medicines to relieve pain associated infection, with the need to ensure the use of the appropriate dose, avoid give medicine aspirin for children under 16 years of age.
• Vitamin A: Taking nutritional supplements that contain vitamin A helps to reduce the severity of the disease in the event that a person suffers from a deficiency of vitamin A, or in children under the age of two years, and it is worth noting that it is necessary to consult a doctor before starting to take these supplements.
• Antibiotics: Although the use of antibiotics does not help eliminate the virus that causes measles, the doctor may prescribe a type of antibiotic in the event that he suffers from a bacterial infection as a result of the disease, such as pneumonia, or infection The ear.

Home remedies

There are a number of home remedies that help relieve the symptoms of measles, including the following: ^[2]

• Humidify the air to help relieve coughing .
• Have a cup of warm water, containing a teaspoon of lemon juice, and two tablespoons of honey, to help relieve coughing.
• Avoid smoking near an infected person.
• Wear sunglasses to reduce sensitivity to light.
• Make sure to drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration .
• Avoid going to school or work for the infected person to prevent transmission.

References

1. ↑ "Measles" , www.who.int , 29-11-2018, Retrieved 4-12-2018. Edited.
2. ^ ^{A b v} Christian Nordqvist (15-5-2017), "Understanding The Causes Of Measles" , www.medicalnewstoday.com The , Retrieved 4-12-2018. Edited.
3. ↑ "Measles Symptoms & Causes" , www.mayoclinic.org , 7-9-2018, Retrieved 4-12-2018. Edited.
4. ↑ "Measles Diagnosis & treatment" , www.mayoclinic.org , 7-9-2018, Retrieved 4-12-2018. Edited.