Measles (Rubeola)

Prevention

You can prevent measles with the measles vaccine, which is always given as part of the MMR combination vaccine. In the United States, most children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at 12 to 15 months of age and a booster dose at 4 to 6 years. If a child has not been immunized against measles and has been exposed to the disease, the vaccine may provide protection if it is given within 72 hours of the exposure. If the exposure occurred between three and six days earlier, the child can receive an injection of immune globulin (IG). IG contains ready-made antibodies to protect against the measles virus and can prevent or at least minimize the symptoms of a measles infection. IG also can be used after exposure to measles in infants less than 6 months of age and in people who have HIV or other conditions that weaken the immune system.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for measles. In people who are otherwise healthy, measles symptoms are treated with acetaminophen (Tylenol) to reduce fever and relieve discomfort, bed rest, and a cool-mist humidifier to soothe respiratory passages and relieve cough. Aspirin should never be used in children with measles because of the risk of developing a rare liver and brain problem called Reye's syndrome. Children and adults who develop a middle ear infection or bacterial pneumonia are treated with antibiotics.

In patients hospitalized with measles and its complications, especially children 6 months to 2 years, some doctors prescribe high doses of vitamin A. Low levels of this vitamin have been found in children with severe cases of measles. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that vitamin A be given to all children diagnosed with measles in communities where vitamin A deficiency is common.

In patients with weakened immune systems or who are severely ill from measles, the antiviral medication ribavirin, sold under the brand name Virazole, occasionally has been used, but no controlled trials have proven its benefits. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the use of ribavirin (Virazole) to treat measles.