Measles Treatment

Measles treatment

        For "classic" measles there is no specific treatment apart from symptomatic treatments and disinfection of respiratory tract and eyes, and rest. The exclusion from school is required throughout the duration of the disease. In case of complications (bacterial superinfections), pacients must be treated with appropriate antibiotics. The requirement of vitamin A in African children with undernutrition markedly decreased the morbidity related to illness of children with severe measles. A clinical management appropriately avoids the serious complications of measles. The patient must be properly nourished, having adequate fluid intake and receive treatment against dehydration using the oral rehydration solution recommended by WHO. This solution helps to overcome the loss of fluids and other essential elements driven by diarrhea and vomiting. Antibiotics are prescribe to treat ear and eye infections and pneumonia.

        In developing countries, should be administered to all children for which the diagnosis is measles, two doses of vitamin A supplements given 24 hours apart. The administration of vitamin A at the time of diagnosis can help prevent eye damage and blindness. Moreover, it was found that administration of vitamin A was effective in reducing measles deaths by 50%.

Measles treatment pictures

Measles prevention

        Routine immunization of children against measles, coupled with campaigns of mass vaccination in countries where rates of morbidity and mortality are high, represents public health strategies essential to reduce the number of measles deaths worldwide. The measles vaccine, used for forty years, is safe, effective and inexpensive. Immunize a child against measles is less than a dollar. The measles vaccine is often associated with the vaccine against rubella and / or vaccine against mumps in countries where these diseases are problematic. To ensure immunity, it is recommended two doses of vaccine because about 15% of vaccinated children fail to develop immunity after the first dose.