Measles Outbreak Causes Concern

Currently, there are hundreds of identifiable illnesses. Ebola, the swine flu (and the normal flu), HIV, just to name a few physical illnesses. But at the beginning of 2015, an outbreak of measles (aka rubeola) started in a Disneyland in California. As of right now, there are a reported 121 cases of measles in 17 states.

The measles is a virus-caused respiratory disease that is very contagious. It is so contagious that 90% of the people close to one sick person will become sick themselves. The measles virus can be spread 4 days after the rash breaks out. The measles can spread through the air when a person coughs or sneezes. It can also be spread by touch. A measles virus can live up to 2 hours on any surface or any airspace where the infected person has coughed or sneezed.

Symptoms of measles include: a high fever, a cough, a runny nose, and red, watery eyes. 2 or 3 days after the symptoms start tiny white spots (known as Koplik spots) inside a patients mouth. 3 to 5 days after the symptoms start a rash breaks out. The rash starts at the hairline and spreads all the way down to the feet, and small bumps may appear on the spots. When the rash appears, a persons fever may spike to more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit. After a few days, the fever and rash subside. Also, some complications may occur in children under 5 and adults over 20 years of age. The most common complications include diarrhea and ear infections. Serious complications can also occur, such as pneumonia and encephalitis. To put it bluntly, the measles have very harsh symptoms and side-effects.

For more information on the measles visit:http: //www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html