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• Caused by paramyxovirus.
• Highly contagious.
• Incubation period 6-19 days.
• Maternal antibody give protection for 1st 6 months of life.

CLINICAL FEATURES:

Symptoms of measles generally first appear within 10-12 days.
Fever, features of upper respiratory tract infection.
Congested eye.
Kopliks spot.
The maculopapular rash appears, spreading from the face to other parts of the body, this appears 1-3 days later and lasts for 5-6 days.
Measles is a serious disease in the malnourished, vitamin deficient or immunocompromised in whom typical rash may be missing.
Generalized lymphadenopathy.
Diarrhoea.
Complications: pneumonia, encephalitis, otitis media, blindness.

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MANAGEMENT:

There is no specific treatment.
Symptomatic treatment.
Antibiotic if there is a secondary bacterial infection.
There are some interventions available for people who may have been exposed to a virus. these can prevent infection or lessen its severity. They include

• A measles vaccine, given within 72 hours of exposure.
• A dose of immune proteins called immunoglobulin, taken within six days of exposure.

PREVENTION:

• MMR (measles - mumps-rubella) vaccine
• MMRV (measles - mumps-rubella-varicella) vaccine