Symptoms and Causes
Measles symptoms and signs appear 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus. They typically include:
Fever
Dry cough
Runny nose
Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis)
Sensitivity to light
Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek, called Koplik's spots
A skin rash made up of large, flat blotches that often flow into one another
The course of the measles virus
Measles typically begins with a mild to moderate fever, accompanied by other signs and symptoms, such as a persistent cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis) and sore throat. Two or three days later, Koplik's spots — a characteristic sign of measles — appear. Then a fever spikes, often as high as 104 or 105 F (40 or 40.6 C). At the same time, a red blotchy rash appears, usually on the face, along the hairline and behind the ears. This slightly itchy rash rapidly spreads downward to the chest and back and, finally, to the thighs and feet. After about a week, the rash fades in the same sequence that it appeared.
When to see a doctor
Call your doctor if you think you or your child may have been exposed to measles, or if you or your child exhibits symptoms that make you suspect measles. Review your family's immunization records with your doctor, especially before starting elementary school, before college and before international travel.
Causes
The cause of measles is a very contagious virus, which lives in the mucus in the nose and throat of an infected child or adult. That child or adult is contagious from four days before the rash appears to four days after.
When someone with measles coughs, sneezes or talks, infected droplets spray into the air, where other people can inhale them. The infected droplets may also land on a surface, where they remain active and contagious for several hours. You can contract the virus by putting your fingers in your mouth or nose or rubbing your eyes after touching the infected surface.
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