Measles Fact Sheet     

Measles (Rubeola)… what is it?

Measles is a serious disease and one of the most easily spread of all infections. It is especially severe for infants under 1 year of age, and is caused by the measles virus, first isolated in 1954. Before an effective vaccine was developed in 1963, 500,000 measles cases were reported each year in the U.S., with ± 500 deaths. By 1999, only 86 cases were reported in the entire country, testifying to the effectiveness of the vaccine program. 

• The illness starts with a runny nose, watery eyes, cough, and high fever.
• After 2 or 3 days, Koplik spots appear in the mouth (small bluish white dots surrounded by a reddish zone that appear on the mucous membrane of the cheeks).
• After 2 more days, a raised, red rash starts on the face and spreads down the body and out to the arms and legs. The rash usually lasts 4 to 7 days.
• Symptoms start about 10 days after exposure and last from 1 to 2 weeks.
• It is contagious for 8 - 9 days before and a few days after the rash begins.

• Measles is sometimes complicated by ear infections, pneumonia, or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) which can lead to convulsions, deafness, or mental retardation. (Death occurs in about 1 per 1,000 cases.)
• Measles can cause miscarriages or premature delivery in pregnant women.

How is it spread?  Measles is spread by:

• infected droplets during sneezing or coughing
• contaminated objects
• direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected persons

Who is at Risk?

• Infants who are too young to have been immunized (less than 1 year of age).
• Persons who received immune globulin around the same time as when they were vaccinated against measles.
• Persons who were vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine (available from 1963-1967) and have not been revaccinated.
• Those who refused vaccination.
• People born before 1957 are generally considered immune because they probably had the disease. (Some of these adults, however, may never have been exposed to measles and will therefore not be immune to the disease!)

• Measles can be prevented through vaccination. Washington State Immunization Law requires that all children have a record of immunization against measles.
• The measles vaccine is combined with the vaccines for mumps and rubella and is known as the MMR vaccine.  
• MMR vaccine is given to toddlers when they are 12 to 15 months of age. A second MMR is required for entry into kindergarten or 6th grade (depending on year of birth). The 2nd MMR may be administered anytime after 28 days following the initial MMR... (usually between ages 2-5 yrs.) 
• People who have measles should limit their contact with others.
• People exposed to someone who has measles should consult their health care provider immediately. If they have not been vaccinated, measles vaccine can help prevent infection if it is given within three days of exposure. Immune globulin may help others if it can be given within six days of exposure.

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an Island County Health Department Communiqué