MEASLES : CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

MEASLES

DEFINATION: - Measles is highly contagious acute respiratory viral disease with a characteristic clinical picture, rash and a pathognomonic enanthem KOPLIK’S SPOT

CAUSES:-

Measles is a highly contagious illness caused by a virus that replicates in the nose and throat of an infected child or adult. Then, when someone with measles coughs, sneezes or talks, infected droplets spray into the air, where other people can inhale them.

The infected droplets may also land on a surface, where they remain active and contagious for several hours. You can contract the virus by putting your fingers in your mouth or nose or rubbing your eyes after touching the infected surface.

SYMPTOMS:-

The sing and symptoms of measles are appear around 10 to 14 days  after exposure to measles virus

·        Fever

·        Dry cough

·        Runny nose

·        Sore throat

·        Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis)

·        Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers on a red background found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek — also called Koplik's spots( as seen in picture)

·        A skin rash made up of large, flat blotches that often flow into one another

RISK FACTOR INCLUDE:-

UNVACCINATED: - If you haven’t received vaccines than you’re much more like to develop a disease. 

Traveling to internationally: - In developing country measles is common so if you travel to developing country than there is higher chance to catching the disease.

Vitamin A deficiency: - you are more likely to have more severed sing and symptoms if you don’t have enough vitamin A in your diet.

COMPLICATION:-

Ear Infection: - most common infection of measles is ear infection

Inflammation: - Measles may leads to inflammation of voice box(larynx)

Pneumonia: - Is common complication of measles that is some time fatal

Encephalitis: - encephalitis may occur right after measles. In about 1 into 1000 people may develop inflammation of brain.

Pregnancy problem: - If you're pregnant, you need to take special care to avoid measles because the disease can cause preterm labor, low birth weight and maternal death.

 PREVENTION: -

In 2011, 6.7 million did not receive measles vaccine in India. This could be the cause of measles outbreaks that leads to registered 29,339 measles case in India. But measles not restricted to children, adult too can develop measles.  

VACCINATION:- Routine measles vaccination for children, combined mass immunisation campaigns in country with low routine coverage, are key public strategy to reduce global measles death.

MR Vaccination program by INDIA

India, along with ten other WHO South East Asia Region member countries, have resolved to eliminate measles and control rubella/congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2020. In this direction, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has initiated measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the age group of 9 months to less than 15 years in a phased manner across the nation. The campaign aims to cover approximately 41 crore children.

The Measles-Rubella campaign is a part of global efforts to reduce illness and deaths due to measles and rubella/CRS in the country. Measles immunization directly contributes to the reduction of under-five child mortality, and in combination with rubella vaccine, it will control rubella and prevent CRS.

All children from 9 months to less than 15 years of age will be given a single shot of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination during the campaign. Following the campaign, MR vaccine will become a part of routine immunization and will replace measles vaccine, currently given at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age of child.

For those children who have already received such vaccination, the campaign dose would provide additional boosting to them.

DR. AMIN I BAYAD

(BHMS)