Fact Sheet
Measles
What is Measles?
Measles is an infection caused by a virus. Once quite common, measles can now almost
always be prevented with a vaccine.
Also called rubeola, measles can be serious and even fatal for small children. While death
rates have been falling worldwide as more children receive the measles vaccine, the
disease still kills more than 100,000 people a year, most under the age of 5.
As a result of high vaccination rates, measles has not been widespread in the United
States for more than a decade. Typically, the United States averages about 60 cases of
measles a year, and most of them originate outside the country.
How is it Spread?
Measles can be prevented by the MMR
Measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the
(Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine. The
nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can
CDC recommends that children get two doses.
spread to others through coughing and sneezing. The
measles virus can live for up to two hours on a surface
 The first dose at 12 to 15 months of age
or in an airspace where the infected person coughed or
 The second does at 4 to 6 years of age
sneezed. If other people breathe the contaminated air
or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes,
noses, or mouths, 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.
Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before to four days after the rash appears.
Measles is a disease of humans; measles virus is not spread by any other animal species.
Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms of measles generally appear about seven to 14 days after a person is infected.
Measles typically begins with

High fever

Runny nose

Cough

Red, watery eyes
Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth.
Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on
the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Small raised bumps
may also appear on top of the flat red spots. The spots may become joined together as they spread from the
head to the rest of the body. When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104°
Fahrenheit. After a few days, the fever subsides and the rash fades.
Diagnosis
Laboratory confirmation of measles is very important to stop the spread of the disease. A doctor can confirm
the presence of measles virus by performing one of the following laboratory tests:
SCCHD EP Office: Updated 02/17/2015
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
Blood test – If infected with measles, a blood test may show the presence of antibodies to measles or
a rising level of antibodies to measles. Antibodies are immune system proteins that attack foreign
substances, such as viruses.

Throat, nasopharyngeal, and/ or nasal swab – If infected with measles, a specimen from the nose or
throat may show the presence of the measles virus.
Treatment and Complications
No treatment can get rid of an established measles infection.
However, some measures can be taken to protect vulnerable
individuals who have been exposed to the virus.
Measles is still common in other
countries. The virus is highly
contagious and can spread rapidly in
areas where people are not
vaccinated. Worldwide, an estimated
20 million people get measles and
122,000 people die from the disease
each year—that equals about 330
deaths every day or about 14 deaths
every hour.

Post-exposure vaccination. Non-immunized people,
including infants, may be given the measles vaccination
within 72 hours of exposure to the measles virus to
provide protection against the disease. If measles still
develops, the illness usually has milder symptoms and
lasts for a shorter time.

Immune serum globulin. Pregnant women, infants and people with weakened immune systems who
are exposed to the virus may receive an injection of proteins (antibodies) called immune serum
globulin. When given within six days of exposure to the virus, these antibodies can prevent measles
or make symptoms less severe.
For some children, measles can lead to pneumonia, a serious lung infection. It can also cause lifelong brain
damage, deafness, and even death. One to three out of 1,000 children in the U.S. who get measles will die
from the disease, even with the best care. About 150,000 to 175,000 people die from measles each year
around the world—mostly in places where children do not get the measles vaccine.
People at Risk
Risk factors for measles include:

Being unvaccinated. A person show has not received MMR vaccine is much more likely to develop
the disease.

Traveling internationally. Traveling to countries where measles is more common increases a
person’s risk of catching the disease.

Having a vitamin A deficiency. Lack of vitamin A in a person’s diet can increase the risk of catching
measles and having more severe symptoms.
Prevention
Measles can be prevented with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. In the United States,
widespread use of measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99% reduction in measles cases compared with
the pre-vaccine era. From 2000 to 2013, a range of 37 to 220 measles cases per year were reported in the
United States and most of these originated outside the country.
For more sources of information on this topic visit:
ST. CLAIR COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT www.scchealth.co
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES www.michigan.gov/mdhhs
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION www.cdc.gov
THE MAYO CLINIC www.mayoclinic.org
SCCHD EP Office: Updated 02/17/2015
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