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Symptoms of the measles usually appear 10 to 14 days after exposure and include:
- Fever
- dry cough
- runny nose
- sore throat
- inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis)
- tiny white spots with blush-white centers on a red background found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek
- a skin rash made up of large, flat blotches that often flow into one another
Measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. The measles virus can live for up to two hours on a surface or in an airspace where the infected person coughed or sneezed. If another person breathes the contaminated air or touches the infected surface, then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth, they can become infected. Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected. An infected person can spread measles to others from four days before to four days after the rash appears. Isolation from other people is key during the contagious phase.
For the first 10 to 14 days after a person is infected, the measles virus incubates. There are no signs or symptoms of measles during this time. Signs and symptoms begin with a mild to moderate fever, often accompanied by a persistent cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes, and sore throat.
A rash will then appear consisting of small red spots, some of which are slightly raised. The spots and bumps form in clusters and give the skin a splotchy red appearance. The face breaks out first, particularly behind the ears and along the hairline. Over the next few days, the rash spreads down the arms and trunk, then over the thighs, lower legs and feet. At the same time, fever rises sharply, often as high as 104 to 105 F (40 to 41 C). The measles rash gradually recedes, fading first from the face and last from the thighs and feet.
CVRMC is recommending if you are experiencing symptoms, please:
- Call your physician’s office ahead of time
- If it is an ER visit, please pick up a mask at the door
- Please refrain from visiting patients in the hospital or any other care facility if you have any of the listed symptoms
- If you are the care giver accompanying a patient on a medical visit, please wear a mask
- If you’ve already had the measles, your immune system will fight the infection, and you can’t get measles again. Most people born in the United States before 1957 are immune to measles because they’ve already had the virus.
For everyone else, the best prevention is to be immunized. “Our Mission is Your Health.”
Dennis Van Gorp is a the pastor at Family Life Christian Center in Superior Arizona. The writes a pastor's column for the Superior Sun on a regular basis.
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