Symptoms and complications

How does measles spread?

Measles, also known as rubeola or red measles, is one of the most deadly infectious diseases in human history. Before a vaccine became available in the 1960s, around 30 million people were infected with measles and 2.6 million people died from the disease every year worldwide. Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases, spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours. For this reason, it is highly infectious, and one person infected by measles can infect 9 out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts.

Part of what makes measles so dangerous is that you can be contagious four days before you get the tell-tale rash, so you could easily spread the virus without knowing you have it.

You will continue to be contagious four days after the rash goes away. You do not need to be in direct contact with someone who is infected. You can get measles just by passing through a room or location where a person who is infected was up to two hours before.

Did you know?

According to UNICEF, measles is more contagious than Ebola, tuberculosis or influenza.

Symptoms

Measles is caused by the rubeola virus. It is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through direct contact with a person with the virus or through droplets in the air.

The incubation period for measles - the time between exposure to a disease and symptoms starting - is usually one to two weeks. Symptoms then develop in stages, lasting about ten days in total.
Recovery also progresses in phases. The early symptoms of measles are similar to those of other common viruses. They include a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. Several days after symptoms begin, characteristic tiny white spots develop inside the mouth, and a facial rash then spreads to the rest of the body.

Symptoms to watch for include:

High fever
Cough
Sore throat
Runny nose
Body aches
Tiredness
Photophobia (discomfort when looking at light)
Small white spots inside the cheeks
Rash that begins on 3rd to 7th day and lasts 4-7 days

The distinctive rash on the body is the classic sign of measles. This rash commonly develops on the head and slowly spreads to other parts of the body.

Complications

Many think of measles as just a rash and fever that clears up in a couple of days. The disease can actually cause serious health complications, especially in children under one year of age, pregnant women, and anyone with a weakened immune system.

Complications can include:

Blindness
Encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage).
Severe diarrhoea and related dehydration.
Ear infections.
Severe breathing problems including pneumonia.
Miscarriage, premature or stillbirth or a low birth weight baby.

Did you know?

About 30 per cent of people who get measles will have complications and 25 per cent will require hospitalisation.