Infectious diseases specialists diagnose and treat infections from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, focusing on fevers, antibiotics, and vaccines.
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There is no medicine that directly kills the measles virus after infection. At Liv Hospital, treatment focuses on supportive care—managing symptoms, preventing complications, and helping the immune system fight the virus. Care is adjusted based on age, nutrition, and immune strength. Most healthy people recover with basic support, but high-risk groups need special attention to avoid serious illness or death.
The foundation of measles management is robust supportive care to maintain physiological stability during the acute phase.
Respiratory Support: For uncomplicated cases, humidified air can help soothe the cough and inflamed respiratory passages. When measles pneumonia develops, supplemental oxygen or respiratory support in an intensive care setting may be required.
Giving Vitamin A is a key, proven part of measles treatment. Measles quickly uses up the body’s Vitamin A, no matter how healthy the person was before. Low Vitamin A levels are linked to more severe illness, worse eye damage, and slower healing of the body’s linings.
Mechanism: Vitamin A is essential for the integrity of epithelial cells and the proper functioning of the immune system. Restoring these levels helps repair the damage to the eyes, lungs, and gut, significantly reducing the risk of blindness and measles-related death.
The measles virus suppresses the immune system and damages the respiratory lining, creating an ideal environment for secondary bacterial infections. Antibiotics are not used prophylactically for measles itself but are prescribed promptly if bacterial complications arise.
Corneal Ulcers: Secondary bacterial infections of the eye require topical antibiotics to prevent permanent scarring and vision loss.
While there is no standard antiviral for measles, Ribavirin—a broad-spectrum antiviral medication—has been used off-label in experimental or compassionate-use settings for severe measles pneumonia or encephalitis, particularly in severely immunocompromised patients. However, its efficacy has not been definitively proven in controlled trials, and its use is determined on a case-by-case basis by infectious disease specialists, weighing potential benefits against potential risks.
Management also involves protecting others. Patients hospitalized with measles require strict airborne precautions.
Visitor Restrictions: Only immune individuals may have contact with the patient. Isolation is typically maintained for 4 days after the onset of the rash in healthy patients, and for the duration of the illness in immunocompromised patients.
Patients with compromised immune systems (e.g., those on chemotherapy, HIV positive, or transplant recipients) are at the highest risk for fatal giant cell pneumonia or encephalitis, often without developing the characteristic rash. Management in these cases is aggressive, usually involving the use of Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) to provide passive antibodies to help fight the virus, alongside intensive monitoring.
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Measles causes a rapid drop in Vitamin A levels, even in well-nourished children. Vitamin A is crucial for maintaining eye and immune system health. Giving high-dose Vitamin A supplements helps prevent severe eye damage (including blindness), speeds up recovery, and has been proven to significantly reduce the risk of dying from measles complications.
No, antibiotics cannot cure measles because measles is a viral infection, and antibiotics only kill bacteria. However, antibiotics are essential if a patient develops a secondary bacterial infection caused by measles complications, such as bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, or eye infections. They treat the complications, not the virus itself.
Measles pneumonia is treated with supportive care, including oxygen therapy and fluids. If there is evidence of a secondary bacterial infection causing the pneumonia, antibiotics are prescribed. In very severe cases, particularly in people with weakened immune systems, doctors might consider antiviral medications or immunoglobulins, though this is specialized care.
Children and teenagers with viral infections like measles (or chickenpox/flu) should never take aspirin or products containing aspirin. Using aspirin during a viral illness is linked to Reye’s syndrome, a rare but life-threatening condition that causes sudden liver damage and brain swelling. Safer alternatives, such as acetaminophen (paracetamol) or ibuprofen, are used for fever.
To help with photophobia (light sensitivity) and eye irritation, it is recommended to keep the patient’s room lights dimmed. Using warm, damp cloths to clean the eyes and remove crusting gently can provide relief. Avoiding screens and bright sunlight is also helpful until the conjunctivitis resolves.
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