How is measles transmitted?

This article is professionally consulted by Resident Doctor, Doctor Nguyen Hung Tien - Resident Doctor of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Before a vaccine was available, measles caused about 2.6 million deaths each year worldwide. To date, measles is still a dangerous infectious disease causing epidemics and is one of the leading causes of death in children under 5 years of age. In 2010, one person died from measles every four minutes in the world. So what is measles and how is it transmitted? Let's find the answer together.

Measles is an acute viral infection with symptoms of fever, rash, runny nose, cough, red eyes... the disease can be seen in children, adults, if there is no immunity to prevent the disease, can cause serious illness. Translate. Measles is less fatal, but complications can be encountered: otitis media, pneumonia, diarrhea, dry corneal ulcers and sometimes encephalitis after measles, especially in malnourished children... Measles... Caused by a virus, so there is no specific treatment for the disease, which usually resolves within 7-10 days. Measles is an endemic disease, which means it is constantly present in the community. After contracting measles, the person will be immune to measles for the rest of their life, their chance of getting a second measles is relatively low.

The measles virus is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. The disease is transmitted mainly through respiratory droplets when in close contact with an infected person, when the patient coughs, sneezes or comes into contact with the nose and throat secretions of an infected person. In addition, the measles virus can live up to 2 hours in the air. space where an infected person coughs or sneezes. If someone else breathes in contaminated air or touches a surface contaminated with the virus, and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth, they can become infected. Measles is so contagious that if a person contracts it, up to 90% of those close to that person who are not immune will also become infected. Infected people can spread measles to others from 4 days before to 4 days after the rash appears. Measles is a human-to-human disease, the measles virus does not spread in animals.

The answer is no. People who have had measles before, the body has built up immunity against the measles virus, so it is able to protect against measles a second time.
For those who have not had measles, vaccination is a method of creating immunity. Actively for the body to fight measles virus.

All people who are not immune to measles are at risk (those who have never had measles and have not been vaccinated)
In our country, the groups at high risk of measles are:
Children, because at this time there is no longer immunity from the mother but have not been vaccinated The group of children who have been vaccinated but have not had an immune response Young people who have never had measles or have not been vaccinated before Therefore, the This patient should be vaccinated against measles to prevent the disease.

Measles symptoms usually appear about 7 to 14 days after being infected.
Measles usually starts with the following symptoms:
High fever Cough Runny nose Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis). Two or three days after symptoms start, small white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth. This is an early and fairly typical sign to help diagnose measles. Three to five days after symptoms begin, the rash begins. Measles rash usually begins as flat, velvet-soft, non-scalding red spots that grow from top to bottom, appearing on the face at the hairline and spreading down the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Small bumps may also appear on top of flat red spots. The spots can merge together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body. After contracting measles, the body's resistance declines, so it is easy to cause complications.

Measles can be severe in all age groups. However, children under the age of 5 are at high risk for measles complications.
6.1. Common complications: Gastrointestinal complications: + Oral mucositis: Initially caused by measles virus, it usually resolves with a rash. Late is often due to superinfection. Cam pipe code.
+ Enteritis : Due to superinfection with bacteria such as shigella, E. coli causing diarrhea.
Complications of ears - nose - throat, eyes: + Superinfected nasopharyngitis
+ Otitis - mastoid otitis.
+ Conjunctivitis, corneal ulcer.
Complications due to immunodeficiency: More susceptible to other diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis... 6.2. Severe complications: Laryngitis; Bronchitis; Bronchopneumonia. One in 20 children develops pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children. About 1 in 1,000 children with measles will develop encephalitis, which can lead to seizures and can make them deaf or mentally disabled. For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two die from the disease. Measles can cause a pregnant woman to give birth prematurely, or give birth to a low-birth-weight baby. 6.3. Long-term complications Subacute meningitis is a very rare but fatal disease of the central nervous system caused by measles virus infection acquired earlier in life. The disease usually develops 7 to 10 years after a person gets measles, even though the person seems to have completely recovered from the disease.
Measles is a contagious disease that spreads into a large epidemic, and has the potential to cause dangerous complications. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles. Please contact us via hotline or go directly to Vinmec hospital facilities to receive timely advice and vaccinations from doctors.

Reference source: National Expanded Immunization Program