5 Things You Must know About Measles

 

A little conversation…

Mother: Hello Pharm. My child has not been able to sleep at night for some days. His body is very hot and he is coughing. I just noticed that he has rashes on his body. Please what is the happening to my baby?...

After further clerking…

Pharmacist: Ma, your child has measles

Mother: Ah!!!...My pharmacist, please what is measles oo?...

How do you know it’s measles…

Measles is a childhood infection caused by a virus but it can now almost always be prevented with a vaccine. Measles disease can be serious and even fatal for small children.

It’s highly contagious disease caused by a virus that replicates in the nose and throat of an infected child. The virus can spread through the air or on surfaces.

Those at risk of  getting infected with the measles disease are the unvaccinated, international travellers and persons with vitamin A deficiency.

Measles symptoms usually appear around 10 to 14days after exposure to the virus and they include fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat, conjunctivitis, skin rashes and bitsy white spots with bluish-white centers on a red background found within the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek also known as Koplik’s spots 

For the first 10 to 14days, there is infection and incubation but no sign manifests. Then a mild fever accompanied with persistent cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes and sore throat occurs for the next 2 to 3days. Over the next few days, rashes appear and the fever rises sharply and then the measles rash starts to fade away. At this point, the child can spread the measles virus to others I.e. from the first 4days before the rash appears and to the last 4days that the rash appeared.

Complications may include ear infection, bronchitis, pneumonia or encephalitis.

There’s no specific measles treatment as viral infections are not sensitive to antibiotics. Therefore the virus and symptoms typically disappear In about 2 to 3weeks but the following actions can help prevent the infection or lesson it’s severity;

A measles vaccine administered within 72hours of exposure

A dose of immune proteins called immunoglobulin taken within 6days of exposure

• Rest
• Plenty of fluids
• A humidifier
• Application of calamine lotion
• Administration of acetaminophen or ibuprofen and vitamin A supplements

Note: Do consult your doctor or pharmacist when your child has any of these symptoms.

                                                                                                                            Dr . Favvy

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