Rubeola is also called Measles. It is a rare respiratory infection that's caused by a virus. It is spread mainly of the nose, windpipe and lungs that are very contagious, meaning it spreads easily from person to person. It is spread from one child to another through direct contact with discharge from the nose and throat. It is also spread through air-borne droplets from an infected child.

Causes

Measles is caused by a paramyxovirus that resides in the mucus in the nose and throat of an infected person. It can be transmitted from four days prior to development of a skin rash until four days after the onset of the rash. When an infected person sneezes or coughs, the very small droplets of water that person expels carry the virus within them. These droplets have the potential to infect anyone who may come into contact with them.

Measles was so common during childhood that most people became sick with the disease by age 20. While the number of measles cases dropped over the last several decades to virtually none in the U.S. and Canada, rates have started to rise again recently.

Symptoms

Symptoms start about 10 days after exposure and the illness lasts from 1 to 2 weeks. The illness starts with a runny nose, watery red eyes, cough, and high fever. Patients with HIV, or certain types of leukemia or lymphoma, are more likely to develop severe complications from measles, but they may not develop the typical measles rash. Other measles symptoms that may appear include :

Kopliks spots (tiny red spots with bluishwhite centers on the inner lining of the cheek)

Sore throat

Muscle pain

Sensitivity to light (photophobia)

The course of the disease usually follows the course of the rash. In 3 to 5 days, the rash begins to fade, the fever falls abruptly, and the patient feels more comfortable.

Treatment

The goal of treatment for rubeola is to help prevent the disease, or decrease the severity of the symptoms. Since it is a viral infection, there is no cure for rubeola. Some children may need supplementation with vitamin A. However, because such children may be deficient in vitamin A, it is not clear if children in other countries would benefit. People who are deficient in vitamin A are more likely to get infections, including measles.

Symptoms may be relieved with bed rest, acetaminophen, and humidified air.