Infectious diseases specialists diagnose and treat infections from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, focusing on fevers, antibiotics, and vaccines.
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Measles, also known as Rubeola, is one of the most contagious viral diseases in humans. At Liv Hospital’s Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, measles is recognized as more than just a childhood rash; it is a systemic infection that affects multiple organs and has serious effects on the immune system. The measles virus is a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus from the Morbillivirus genus in the Paramyxoviridae family. It only infects humans and has no animal reservoir, making it a possible candidate for global eradication like smallpox. However, because it is so infectious—with a basic reproduction number (R0) of 12 to 18—it remains a major public health challenge wherever vaccination rates are too low.
Measles infection starts in the respiratory tract and then spreads to the lymphatic system, skin, and internal organs. The virus enters the body through the airways and attaches to specific receptors on immune and epithelial cells, mainly CD150 (SLAMF1) and Nectin-4. By using these receptors, the virus infects immune cells like macrophages and dendritic cells, which then carry it to the lymph nodes. This leads to an initial spread of the virus in the body, followed by a larger wave that brings on symptoms. As a result, measles becomes a widespread infection that weakens the body’s protective barriers and causes temporary but strong immune suppression.
An important but often missed part of measles is “immune amnesia.” Recent research shows that measles can erase the immune system’s memory. The virus infects memory B cells and plasma cells, which help the body remember and fight off other diseases. During and after infection, measles destroys many of these cells. As a result, even after recovering from measles, a person’s immune system may lose its ability to fight illnesses it once recognized, like the flu or pneumonia. This makes survivors more likely to get other infections for months or even years.
Although the classic symptoms of measles are well known, doctors recognize that the disease can look different depending on a person’s immune system and how much virus they are exposed to.
From a global health perspective, measles serves as the “canary in the coal mine” for public health infrastructure. Because it is the most contagious vaccine-preventable disease, measles outbreaks are often the first indicator of failing immunization programs or pockets of vaccine hesitancy. The epidemiology is strictly human-to-human, maintained by continuous transmission chains. In the absence of a reservoir, the virus relies on a constant supply of susceptible hosts.
The modern definition of measles epidemiology also includes the concept of “importation.” In regions where endemic transmission has been eliminated, cases are defined by their origin—travel-related or import-associated. This distinction is vital for containment strategies. Liv Hospital approaches measles with heightened surveillance, recognizing that a single case constitutes a public health emergency due to the potential for explosive outbreaks among non-immune contacts.
Measles is closely connected to nutrition, especially Vitamin A. The virus quickly uses up the body’s Vitamin A, which is needed for healthy skin, eyes, and immune function. This loss can make damage to the eyes, lungs, and gut worse, sometimes leading to blindness. Because of this, measles is considered a nutritional emergency as well as a viral infection. Treatment includes giving Vitamin A, not just as a supplement, but as a key part of care to lower the risk of serious illness and death.
Measles can also affect the nervous system. The virus may enter the brain and cause three main problems: acute post-infectious measles encephalitis (an autoimmune reaction), measles inclusion body encephalitis (mainly in people with weak immune systems), and Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE). SSPE is a deadly, long-term brain disease caused by a form of the measles virus that stays in the body and becomes active years later. This ability to cause long-term brain problems is an important part of how measles is understood.
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The basic reproduction number, or R0, represents the average number of people who will catch a disease from a single infected person in a population where everyone is susceptible. For measles, the R0 is between 12 and 18, making it one of the most contagious viruses known to humans. This number matters because it dictates the vaccination threshold needed for herd immunity; to stop measles from spreading, approximately 95% of the population must be immune.
No, measles is definitely not just a skin rash. It is a systemic viral infection that affects the entire body. While the rash is the most visible sign, the virus also attacks the respiratory, immune, and gastrointestinal systems. The most severe complications, such as pneumonia and brain inflammation (encephalitis), are what make the disease potentially fatal, not the rash itself.
Immune amnesia is a phenomenon in which the measles virus attacks and destroys the body’s “memory” cells—the white blood cells that remember how to fight off past illnesses. After recovering from measles, a person’s immune system may effectively “forget” its immunity to other diseases, such as the flu or pneumonia, leaving them vulnerable to these infections for months or years afterwards.
Yes, adults can get measles if they are not immune. Adults who were never vaccinated or received only one dose of the vaccine (which was common practice in certain past decades) are susceptible. Measles in adults can often be more severe than in children, with a higher risk of complications such as pneumonia and hospitalization.
Rubeola, the medical term for “regular” measles, can cause severe respiratory and neurological complications. Rubella is a different viral disease, often called “German Measles.” While both cause rashes and fever, Rubella is generally milder in children but is extremely dangerous for pregnant women, as it can cause severe congenital disabilities. Different viruses cause them, but they are often prevented by the same combination vaccine (MMR).
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