Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads easily through air, respiratory secretions, contaminated hands or objects.
Symptoms:
- Fever
- Conjunctivitis
- Style
- Cough
- Koplik spots
- Maculopapular rash (in the face, behind the ears, then "going down") that persists for 4-7 days
Incubation period:
- About 10 days (can vary from 7 to 21 days)
Risk of infection:
- 15 minutes or more of close contact with a sick person is enough
- The affected person is infectious for 4 days before and 4 days after the rash appears
Why is measles dangerous?
- Easily spread in society
- Can cause complications (pneumonia, otitis media, encephalitis, etc.)
- May cause premature birth and other complications in pregnant women
- No specific treatment, only symptomatic
Prevention:
- Vaccination with measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine
- In Lithuania, children are vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine (15 months and 6-7 years)
Highest risk of disease:
- For the unvaccinated
- Vaccinated with only one dose of vaccine
- For those who have not contracted measles
