Measles is an illness caused by virus. It is a viral infection caused by rubeola virus. It is a contiguos disease, once you are infected, everyone in your house might be infected with this disease too. This is one if the problem that our government is facing now. Some parts of the Philippines are suffering from this disease and people were so scared but the action is under control because children ages 9 to 11 have given an anti-measles shot.

Measles Symptoms:

* Coryza – runny nose.
* Dry hacking cough.
* Conjunctivitis – swollen eyelids, inflamed eyes.
* Watery eyes.
* Photophobia – sensitivity to light.
* Sneezing.
* Fever – this may be mild to severe and can reach 105F (40.6C) for a number of days. Fever may drop, and then rise again when the rash appears.
* Koplik’s spots – very small grayish-white spots with bluish-white centers in the mouth, insides of cheeks, and throat.
* Aches generally all over the body.
* Rash – 3 to 4 days after initial symptoms a reddish-brown spotty rash appears. The rash can last for over a week. It usually starts behind the ears and spreads all over the head and neck. After a couple of days it spreads to the rest of the body, including the legs. As the little spots grow many of them will join together.

Although the majority of childhood rashes are not measles, you should take your child to the doctor if:

* You suspect it could be measles.
* Symptoms do not improve, or get worse.
* The fever rises to above 38C (100F).
* When the symptoms have gone, but the fever hasn’t.

The most common causes of this contiguous disease are by physical contact with an infected person, Touching a surface that has infected droplets of mucus, being nearby infected person if they cough or sneeze.

People that are immune of measles will not be infected again. It is very rare if a person will be infected again. If you were born or living in the USA before 1957 you will be immune, experts say. For those who are not immune, there are vaccines avaiable. In the Philippines, it will be given free to the children ages 9 to 11.