Is measles contagious?

Measles is a highly contagious skin disease, and people who have measles should be isolated immediately because measles can be transmitted to other people through breathing and saliva. Because the main cause of measles is the measles virus in the human body, and the measles virus is a respiratory infection virus. It can exist in the eyes, nose and mouth of a person. Measles often occurs in children, but is measles in children contagious?

1. Is measles contagious?

Measles is contagious. The disease is transmitted through the respiratory secretions of measles patients through the air or through contact. You are usually contagious for 5 days before and after the rash appears.

2. Clinical symptoms of measles

Children infected with the measles virus begin to develop symptoms after an incubation period of 9 to 12 days. First, fever and general fatigue occur, followed by runny nose, sneezing, coughing and other phenomena. Some children will have symptoms such as tearing eyes and fear of light, and the symptoms worsen day by day. Generally, the rash will begin to appear on the fourth day of fever. One or two days before the rash appears, many white spots as big as needle tips can be found on the oral mucosa. These spots are called "Kopolik spots." Because these spots only appear when measles occurs, the doctor can immediately diagnose measles when he sees "Kopolik spots." Measles rash first appears behind the ears and on the forehead, then gradually spreads to the face, chest, abdomen, back, and finally to the limbs. Three days later, a rash appears and the fever begins to subside. Many children will have gray-brown spots on their skin that last for 1-2 weeks.

3. Measles prevention and vaccine

1. Manage the source of infection: patients should be strictly isolated and contacts should be quarantined for 3 weeks; during the epidemic, nurseries, kindergartens and other children's institutions should suspend the pick-up and admission of susceptible children.

2. Cut off the transmission route: pay attention to ventilation in the ward and make full use of sunlight or ultraviolet radiation; medical staff should wash their hands and change their outer clothes after leaving the ward or stay in a well-ventilated place for 20 minutes before contacting susceptible people.

3. Vaccination: The use of live measles vaccine is the most effective and fundamental way to prevent measles. The country now provides measles vaccination with an initial shot at 8 months of age and a booster shot at 6 years of age. Some provinces have set the revaccination schedule at 18 to 24 months. Another inoculation dose is 0.5ml.

4. Passive immunization: Passive immunization should be used for weak, sick, young susceptible children with a history of close contact. Intramuscular injection of immunoglobulin 0.1-0.2 ml/kg and placental globulin 0.5-1.0 ml/kg can prevent the disease if injected within 5 days after contact, and can alleviate symptoms if injected within 6-9 days. The immunity is effective for 3 weeks.

Measles is a disease that children are more susceptible to. It is transmitted through the respiratory system. Therefore, in order to prevent children from being infected with this disease, the country has developed a measles vaccine. If you want to prevent the occurrence of this disease, it is best to get a measles vaccine, which can effectively prevent the spread of measles.