Measles

Measles

It is a virus illness that typically affects children. It can occasionally happen to pregnant women. It could cause severe persistent fetal infection and harm to the unborn child's brain development.

Etiology

• Paramyxovirus
• Infective material:
  • Nasopharyngeal secretion
• Mode of transmission:
  • Droplet infection

Incubation period:

• 10 to 14 days

Clinical feature

• Prodromal stage
  • Fever
  • Coryza with sneezing
  • A cough and sore throat
  • Redness of the eye
  • Lacrimation
  • Photophobia
  • Koplik’s spot
• Eruptive stage
  • Typical dusty red macular or maculopapular rash which begins behind the ear and spreads rapidly in a few hours over the face and neck and then to extremities.
• Post measles stage
  • Weight loss and failure to thrive for following few weeks.

Complication

• Diarrhea
• Pneumonia
• Otitis media

Treatment

• Symptomatic treatment
• Isolation

Prevention

• Immunization (measles vaccination)

Nursing management

• Isolation of the patient
• Maintain nutritional status
• Monitor hydration
• Hand washing technique
• Practice medical asepsis
• Disposal of contaminated materials