Rubeola (Measles) Virus

Measles is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable childhood mortality. The classic signs and symptoms of measles include a high fever, coughing, conjunctivitis and a characteristic rash. Symptoms usually develop 7–14 days after exposure and 3 out of 10 people who get measles will develop one or more complications including pneumonia, encephalitis and death. There is no specific treatment for measles although in developed countries, children are immunized against measles at 12 months old as part of a three-part Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. A recent increase in measles worldwide has been driven by unvaccinated people spreading the disease into countries where it was once declared eliminated. Measles is extremely infectious and among unimmunized people exposed to the virus, over 90% will contract the disease.