What causes measles? Symptoms and prevention methods.
Measles is a highly contagious disease characterized by high fever and a rash. It is caused by a virus and is most common in young children, although adults can also become infected. The virus is highly contagious through respiratory droplets, so most non-immune people are at high risk of contracting the disease. Measles is preventable with a vaccine, and its spread can be controlled.
“Measles” What is measles? How dangerous is it? And why don’t many people get vaccinated against measles? Sanook! Health brings you information.
What is measles?
Measles is an infectious disease of the respiratory system. Caused by a สนใจสมัคร? คลิกที่นี่เพื่อเริ่มต้น group of paramyxoviruses that can spread and measles is transmitted from an infected person to another person through coughing, sneezing, releasing droplets from saliva and feces into the air, then other people inhale that air into their bodies or accidentally touching the mucus or saliva of an infected person directly (the infected person may cough, sneeze, put their hand over their mouth, and then touch other things, and then the other person touches those things again).
Symptoms of measles
Symptoms of measles After the body has been infected with the virus within 14 days, symptoms of people with measles will be seen as follows:
- Symptoms of measles include fever, which can reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius.
- Runny nose
- Frequent coughing
- Sore eyes
- Red, watery eyes
- There are small red bumps with white spots in the center on my cheeks.
- A rash appears on the body, a reddish-brown rash spreading over the face and neck (within 3-5 days the rash will gradually disappear on its own).
Measles risk group
Since measles is caused by a virus, young children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with weak bodies, low immunity, and people who have to take immunosuppressive drugs to treat other diseases can all contract measles. Therefore, anyone who is near a patient with measles is at risk of contracting the virus that causes measles. However, the most common infection is young children aged from birth to 4 years old.
The dangers of measles
Measles is generally curable. However, if complications occur, especially in young children under 1 year old, including adults who are not in good health, life-threatening complications can occur, such as:
- Diarrhea, vomiting, which may lead to dehydration
- Middle ear infection, inflammation, causing ear pain
- Eye infection causing watery, red eyes
- Laryngitis
- Pneumonia, pneumonia, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases
- Hepatitis
- Squint, blindness if the virus destroys the nervous system and eye muscles
- Meningitis
- The heart and nervous system are damaged.
- Brain malfunction
How to treat measles
Measles is another disease that does not have any medicine to directly treat this disease (as with the common cold). Doctors may prescribe medicine to help reduce symptoms such as fever reducers (not aspirin), decongestants, cough suppressants. Patients should avoid leaving the house to go to public places when having a fever and rash, including coughing and sneezing to prevent spreading the virus to others. Drink 6-8 glasses of water, eat nutritious food, and get enough rest. This will help the body gradually fight the virus until it recovers normally.
How to prevent measles
- Stay away from people with measles to prevent transmission.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before eating or putting food in your mouth.
- Exercise to keep your body immune.
- Get enough rest
- Drink enough water to meet your body’s needs.
- Young children should receive the first flu shot at 9 months of age and the second shot at 2 1/2 years of age. If the Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine (MMR) is given, children can receive the first shot at 9-12 months of age and the next shot at 4-6 years of age.
- Older children or adults who are not immune to measles can also receive two doses of the vaccine, spaced at least 28 days apart.
- If you are a measles patient, you should avoid going out until your symptoms have disappeared. If you need to go out, you should wear a mask to prevent the spread of the virus through coughing and sneezing.
Measles vaccination problems
Measles vaccination has limitations for some groups, such as:
- Pregnant women
- Children with tuberculosis, leukemia and other cancers who have not yet received treatment
- People whose immune systems are very weak
- Children with a history of severe allergic reaction to gelatin or the antibiotic neomycin group.
However, if these people have measles, they can be injected with antibodies or proteins called immune globulin to prevent getting sick, but they must be injected within 6 days after being infected with the virus.
In addition, from the verdict of the Chularatchamontri and international organizations, it is confirmed that vaccination against measles does not violate Islamic principles. Therefore, parents should take their children to receive vaccinations according to the doctor’s appointment to control the spread of measles effectively.