Measles is a respiratory infectious disease caused by the measles virus. It primarily affects children under the age of five and often occurs during the winter-spring season. Adults who have not been fully vaccinated can also contract the disease.1
Symptoms of Typical Measles
Typical measles presents with several characteristic symptoms, including:1
- Incubation Period: 7-21 days (average 10 days).
- Prodromal Stage (Respiratory Inflammation): 2-4 days. Patients experience high fever, upper respiratory inflammation, conjunctivitis, and sometimes acute laryngitis. Koplik spots, small white or gray spots with a red halo, may appear on the mucous membranes inside the cheeks, near the upper molars.
- Exanthematous Stage: Lasts 2-5 days. Typically, after 3-4 days of high fever, patients develop a rash. The rash is pink, maculopapular, and disappears when the skin is stretched. It appears sequentially from behind the ears, nape of the neck, forehead, face, neck, and then spreads to the body and limbs, including the palms and soles. Body temperature decreases as the rash covers the entire body.
- Recovery Stage: The rash fades to gray, peels off with dark scales, leaving behind a "tiger skin" appearance and disappearing in the order it appeared. If no complications occur, the disease resolves on its own. Coughing may persist for 1-2 weeks after the rash disappears.
Measles Prevention Methods
The Ministry of Health recommends the following measures to prevent measles:
1. Active Prevention with Vaccines
· Administer two doses of measles vaccine to children within the recommended age range according to the National Expanded Immunization Program (the first dose must be given at 9 months of age).
2. Isolation of Patients and Personal Hygiene
· Isolate measles patients at home or in treatment facilities following respiratory infection isolation principles.
· Use surgical masks for patients, caregivers, close contacts, and healthcare workers.
· Limit unnecessary close contact between healthcare workers and visitors with patients.
· Isolate from the time of suspected measles until at least 4 days after the onset of the rash.
· Enhance personal hygiene by disinfecting the nose and throat, keeping warm, and improving overall health to boost immunity.
By fully implementing these preventive measures and adhering to the Ministry of Health's guidelines, we can minimize the risk of contracting measles and related complications.
Compiled by: Le Minh Dat (email: lmd@vpha.org.vn)
_________________________________________
References
1. Quyết định 1327/QĐ-BYT Về việc ban hành hướng dẫn chẩn đoán, điều trị bệnh Sởi, ban hành ngày 18 tháng 4 năm 2014 (2014).