measles

Alternative Name: Rubeola

What is the measles ?

Measles is also known as romantika.Measles is caused by a virus..Measles is an acute, infectious disease which strikes mostly children.It spreads very easily that any child who is exposed to measles and is not immune will probably get it.

Like chickenpox, measles is contagious.

You may get measles from an infected person who coughs or sneezes around you or even talks to you.Nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15 years old.Around five lakhs cases in a year were reported in the United States.The disease rarely infects an adult.

Causes of Measles - How Measles is Spread?

Alternative Name: Rubeola

Measles (Rubeola) is a highly contagious and infectious disease. More than 90% of people without immunity sharing a house with an infected person will catch measles very easily. This disease mainly affects young children, and less common in adults, but then also can be caught at any age.

The main cause of measles is a paramyxovirus of genus morbillivirus. This virus is very contagious and it easily spreads from one person through respiration (contact with fluids from an infected person's nose and mouth, either directly or through aerosol transmission). It usually spreads from the droplets of coughs and sneezes of an infected person in the air, contact with the skin, or via objects having virus on them. It can even spread while an infected person and a healthy person talk.

The MMR vaccine (mumps, measles and rubella) has now made measles quite rare in US, but there have been recent outbreaks in children who had not been immunized.

Once the paramyxovirus gets inside the body, it starts growing in the cells that line the back of the throat and lungs. The infection then spreads throughout the body, including the respiratory system and the skin.

Risk Factors of Measles (Rubeola) are given below:

1. Malnutrition.
2. Underlying immunodeficiency.
3. Pregnancy.
4. Vitamin A deficiency.

Measles Signs and Symptoms

Alternative Name: Rubeola

What are the symptoms of measles ?

The signs and symptoms of measles usually vary from one person to other. A person may develop mild symptoms of measles while on the other hand a person may also develop very serious symptoms of measles which may also give fatal results.

The incubation period of measles (period of showing symptoms after causing infection) is usually 2 weeks.

Every child must be properly immunized against measles, otherwise he may develop this infectious disease very easily. Most people suffering from measles usually recover within 7-10 days, but in some serious cases it may take time to recover and it may even be fatal.

The main symptoms found in persons suffering from measles are given below:

• A mild to severe temperature, which may peak over 38°C (100.4°F) for several days. After several days temperature may fall, but may go up again when the rash appears.
• Characteristic rash, spreading from face to trunk, then to arms and legs. Child's skin starts to peel in two to three days.
• Cough and Cold.
• Inflammation of the eyes may be there, which will make the eyes sensitive to light.
• Poor appetite.
• Runny nose.
• Sneezing.
• Conjunctivitis.
• Red eyes.
• Watering eyes.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Measles

Alternative Name: Rubeola

Antibiotics are not used to treat measles (Rubeola). However, complications from the illness such as pneumonia or an ear infection, may need antibiotic treatment.

Ayurvedic Medicine I

Ingredients

• 125 mg of Shringa Bhasma.
• 125 mg of Swarn Amakhshik Bhasma.
• 120 mg of Kasturi Bhairava.
• 250 mg of Saubhagyavati.

Directions

Mix all the above ingredients properly. Now you can take this dose and repeat it after an interval of 4 hours.

Some Tips for the Period when you are Suffering from Measles

• When you are suffering from rubeola, you must avoid going outside, as you may spread the infection to person's who are not properly immunized. The infection can be spread to others from 5 days before the rash breaks out to 4 days after the rash disappears.

• When the measles is suspected, patient should wear warm garments.

• Keep the Lights Low - With measles, the eyes generally become very irritated and sensitive to light. Keep the lights dim in your child's room, or give him sunglasses to wear.