Measles

10 questions · Health & Medicine

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases of all; a single patient can infect a dozen others in an unprotected setting. It is caused by the measles virus, spread through the finest droplets in the air, and it spreads with astonishing speed in closed rooms. After a few days of fever, a runny nose and conjunctivitis, the typical white Koplik spots appear in the mouth, before the characteristic red rash spreads over the whole body. Measles was long seen as a harmless childhood illness, but it is dangerous: it can lead to pneumonia and middle-ear infections, in rare cases to a severe brain inflammation and, years later, even to the fatal late complication SSPE. A measles infection also weakens the immune memory and makes people more vulnerable to other pathogens. Since the 1960s there has been an effective vaccine, usually as a combined shot against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Because the virus is so contagious, about 95 percent of the population must be vaccinated to prevent outbreaks. If the vaccination rate falls, measles returns at once: yet, like smallpox, it could in principle be eradicated worldwide.

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5 of 10 questions with answers

Which virus causes the highly contagious childhood disease with a red rash and Koplik spots?

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The measles virus

Humans are its only host.

💡 Did you know? That is why measles could in theory be eradicated.

What makes measles so dangerous for spreading?

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They are extremely contagious

One patient infects up to 12 to 18 others.

💡 Did you know? That makes them among the most contagious diseases.

Which typical skin sign marks measles?

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A red rash

It spreads from the head over the body.

💡 Did you know? Before it, white Koplik spots appear in the mouth.

How is the measles virus transmitted?

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Through the air (droplets)

It lingers in room air for hours.

💡 Did you know? Even being in the same room can be enough.

What is the common combined measles vaccine called?

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The MMR vaccine

It also protects against mumps and rubella.

💡 Did you know? In Germany measles vaccination is mandatory for children.

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