Measles

Short characteristic of a disease

Measles are the acute viral disease which is characterized by the high level of a susceptibility and heavy symptoms (temperature to 40,5 degrees, an inflammation of a mucous oral cavity and upper respiratory tracts, the general intoxication of an organism, emergence of rash on a body). The first references of this disease belong to an extreme antiquity, but the detailed description of clinical symptoms of measles appeared only in the 17th century. In 1954 the contagium was allocated, and the live vaccine which is entered to the person when the measles inoculation becomes was developed six years later – in 1960.

Infection source is always the sick person. Measles are transmitted in the airborne way, and not vaccinated people can catch at any age as specific immunity appears only after vaccination, or after the disease postponed in the natural way.

What occurs during measles?

With slime of the sick person which is emitted during cough and sneezing the activator gets to external environment. Let's notice at the same time that measles which symptoms are most often shown at children's age have different degree of danger depending on time which passed after infection. It is considered to be that people from last 2 days of an incubation interval to the 4th day of a disease when rashes develop are most infectious. For the 5th day of rashes of people it is already harmless for people around. Inborn children have a kolostralny immunity which is transferred from mother if, of course, she managed to have measles earlier. This immunity works within the first three months of life of the child then it all the same will need vaccination. The measles inoculation is effective within 10 years, then concentration of antibodies in blood begins to decrease gradually.

As gate for measles serve mucous membranes of upper respiratory tracts where the activator settles and begins to breed strenuously. After primary replication in epithelium cells the virus of measles gets into blood and collects in various bodies, causing small inflammatory infiltrates. At initial stages measles at children and adults can be neutralized by means of administration of immunoglobulin that has to be made no later than in 5 days from the moment of contact with the infected person.

If preventive measures were late, then the second wave of distribution of activators on a body begins. This process is followed by fixing of the available symptoms of measles and rash on a body. By 5th day after emergence of rash the maximum concentration of a virus in blood sharply falls because of the beginning of development of neutralized antibodies. From this point measles at adults and children do not constitute almost any danger to people around.

Measles symptoms

Symptoms of measles are shown after 9-11 days then at patients appear:

• substantial increase of body temperature;
• feeling of weakness;
• febricula;
• loss of appetite;
• the rough, "barking" cough;
• reddening of conjunctivas.

In several days rashes on a body are found in patients with measles. As a rule, the first symptoms of measles are observed on mucous cheeks and remind the whitish specks towering over a cover surface. Then rash passes to external integuments. Along with it the general intoxication and extent of damage of upper airways amplifies. Elements of rash are located chaotically, are inclined to formation of difficult figures and bystry distribution. Nevertheless, even in hard cases patients have big sites of a healthy integument.

Rash passes in 3-4 days after education. On its place there are small nevus pigmentosus and a scaly peeling. Throughout measles at some patients abdominal pains, a liquid chair, the expressed conjunctivitis with department of purulent contents are noted.

Treatment of measles

Means of specific treatment of measles are not applied. In the eclipse period, even before emergence of the first symptoms of measles, the patient can be helped by administration of protivokorevy immunoglobulin. If measles at children developed to a stage of clinical manifestations, then immunoglobulin will be inefficient.

In most cases patients with measles are treated in house conditions. Hospitalization is shown to patients with the complicated forms of a disease and to children from the closed collectives. Treat the basic principles of treatment of measles:

• observance of a bed rest;
• hygienic nosotrophy;
• plentiful drink (carbonated drinks are excluded);
• vitamin therapy;
• expectorant drugs if there is dry, persuasive cough;
• instillation of 20% solution of a sulfacetamide of sodium in case of conjunctival complications.

The most reliable preventive measure is the measles inoculation. It is contraindicated to pregnant women, HIV-positive people, TB patients and a leukosis. In all other cases the vaccine is excellent help in fight against measles. The first vaccination is carried out when the child is 1 year old, the second – in 15-18 months.