What is measles?
Measles is viral disease and hence there is no perfect medicine available that can be sure-shot for the disease. Therefore, the best way to get rid of this disease is to prevent it rather than treating it. Fortunately, vaccine is available to fight against the disease.
Measles are also known as rubeola and is highly contagious. This is rarely a respiratory infection and it has tendency to go off with its own but it troubles a lot till the period it houses the human body.
It is basically a respiratory infection that starts with cheeks and gradually proceeds to trunks, palms and soles. Measles usually last for about 5 days.
The incubation period for measles is seven to eighteen days. The incubation period is the time between the moment the virus enters a person's body and the appearance of symptoms. A person is contagious (capable of passing on the infection) from three to five days before symptoms appear to about four days after the rash shows up.
The most contagious time period is the three to five days before symptoms begin through about four days after the characteristic measles rash has begun to appear.
What are the causes of measles?
Measles is caused by infection with the rubeola virus. Once infected, the virus lives in the mucus of the nose and throat. Physical contact, coughing and sneezing can spread the infection. Infected droplets of mucus may also land on a surface where they remain active and contagious for around two hours.
Once inside the body, the virus multiplies in the back of the throat and lungs, then spreads throughout the body, including the respiratory system and the skin.
About 90% of people around an infected person will catch the virus.
It takes between 6 and 21 days for the virus to establish itself (the incubation period), but most people show symptoms after about 10 days.
Someone with measles is infectious for 2-4 days before the red rash appears and for about 5 days after it appears.
Measles is spread through droplet transmission from the nose, throat, and mouth of someone who is infected with the virus. These droplets are sprayed out when the infected person coughs or sneezes. Among unimmunized people exposed to the virus, over 90% will contract the disease.
Other main causes of measles includes:
Measles is caused by the measles virus i.e- Paramyxovirus.
The measles virus can't survive for very long on objects like doorknobs and telephones. Nevertheless, it's very good at leaping from one person to another, since it's an airborne virus.
It is mostly seen in the winter and spring. The virus enters the body through the respiratory tract or the conjunctiva. Measles is endemic throughout the world.
Personal contact is the main cause of measles because it is a contagious disease.
Droplets from coughs and sneezes
Immunodeficiency due to HIV/AIDS
Malnutrition
Vitamin A deficiency will lead to the condition of measles.
