Since January 1, 2018, the measles vaccine has been compulsory in France. This highly contagious disease is caused by a virus which is transmitted when patients cough / sneeze, by close contact between people or by direct contact with nasal or laryngeal secretions.
Measles: symptoms that should alert
Certain symptoms should therefore be watched carefully and should lead you to consult a doctor:
These first symptoms occur about three to four days before the rash arrives. The latter corresponds to the appearance of small red buttons on the body. The rash is descending, it usually starts from the top of the face (behind the ears, cheeks, forehead) to go down to the top of the body before reaching the feet last.
The patient remains feverish and very tired, but the rhinitis and conjunctivitis disappear. As for the cough, it can last until the end of measles. Usually after a week, the rash will go away completely.
See your doctor promptly if you or your child or baby has these symptoms, especially if you are in an area affected by measles. Identifying the first signs is essential to avoid serious complications of the disease.
How is the diagnosis of measles established?
In general, the diagnosis of measles is made when the rash arrives, but the doctor may sometimes have already spotted whitish spots on the inside of the cheeks. This indicator sign of measles is not always present before the rash begins.
After making the diagnosis of measles, the attending doctor reports it to the health authorities so that they can take measures to protect those around the patient.
Measles: what are the possible complications?
According to Health Insurance, complications occur in 30% of measles cases. Fragile people are the most likely to have complications. Among them are infants under one year old who have not yet been vaccinated, or adolescents and adults suffering from immunosuppression.
Two kinds of complications are identified. The first is considered the least serious and can cause:
In some cases, measles can lead to more serious complications, sometimes requiring hospitalization:
- A pneumonia
- Keratoconjunctivitis (rare eye damage causing loss of vision)
- Liver or kidney damage
How to treat measles: what are the treatments?
For measles that shows no signs of seriousness, there is no specific treatment. As this disease is caused by a virus, antibiotics are therefore unnecessary. Treating the symptoms associated with measles is essential to treating the patient.
The most important symptom of measles turns out to be fever. It is therefore essential to lower it or to keep it stable. To do this :
- Avoid covering yourself too much
- Drink water regularly
- Ventilate your room and maintain the temperature at 19 ° C
- Regularly monitor your temperature and spot the various signs of complications
For your child, nose washings may be necessary in case of rhinitis. It is recommended to clean his eyes with physiological saline and compresses if he begins to have conjunctivitis. Your doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment if an ear infection occurs as a result of measles.
Measles prevention: the importance of vaccination
WHO estimates that "110,000 deaths attributable to this disease" were recorded worldwide in 2017. This resurgence is due to insufficient vaccination coverage, according to the organization. Vaccination is the only way to protect yourself against this serious and contagious disease, which "can cause debilitating and even fatal complications, including encephalitis (an infection leading to cerebral edema), severe diarrhea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections and permanent vision loss".
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