Measles Directory
Measles is a very contagious viral infection that causes a rash all over your body. Measles can lead to serious health problems such as pneumonia, and in rare cases, it can cause seizures or meningitis. Fortunately, there is a vaccine to protect against measles. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage about how measles is contracted, what it looks like, how to treat it, and much more.
Medical Reference
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Measles FAQ: Symptoms, Prevention, and More
What you need to know about measles, including symptoms, how contagious it is and how spreads, and the MMR vaccine.
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Encephalitis Prevention
Is it possible to prevent encephalitis? Find out from the experts at WebMD.
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Help for Parents of Children With Hearing Loss
Here are tips on recognizing a hearing problem in your child and getting the assistance he or she needs.
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Skin Rashes in Children Treatment
WebMD explains various skin rashes that affect children and how they are treated.
Features
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Child Vaccines: Some Parents Ill at Ease
Does the private right of parents to not vaccinate their kids trump the greater public good?
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Vaccine Linked to Autism?
Eric Gallup was a normally developing 15-month-old toddler living in Parsippany, New Jersey, when his parents took him for his first measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination in 1986. Shortly after he was vaccinated, they noticed changes in his behavior and ability to communicate. In 1989 he was diagnosed with autism.
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How Your Vaccines are Approved
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that each year up to 50,000 children and adults are hospitalized because of the virus, and that 20 to 40 people die from it.
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Vaccines for Adults
Are you up to date on your vaccines? Find out which ones you should be getting as an adult.
Video
Slideshows & Images
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Picture of Measles in a Child
Measles. This picture shows the “measly” appearance of a child who clearly feels miserable. The disease is brief and self-limited for most children, and the treatment is entirely supportive. The incidence of complications is higher, however, than in other childhood exanthems. Otitis media is the most common. Serious complications include bronchopneumonia and encephalitis, which may cause permanent neurologic damage. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is a late sequela of measles.
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Picture of Measles in an Adult
Measles. Erythematous flat papules, first appearing on the face and neck where they become confluent, spreading to the trunk and arms in 2 to 3 days where they remain discrete. Koplik spots on the buccal mucosa were also present. In contrast, rubella also first appears initially on the face but spreads to the trunk in 1 day.
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Picture of Rubella
Rubella. Petechiae on the hard palate of the same individual (Forchheimer's sign).