Measles (Rubeola)

When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor if you or your child develops symptoms of measles, even if the person has received the measles vaccine. Not everyone has received two doses of the MMR vaccine they need to be fully protected. Also call your doctor to review the status of your measles immunity if a measles outbreak occurs in your school or workplace. If you are considering becoming pregnant, contact your obstetrician to ensure that you are immunized against measles and other infectious diseases that can affect your unborn child. Always check with your child's doctor at each visit to be sure he or she is up-to-date for all immunizations.

Prognosis

Most healthy patients recover completely from measles. About 3% of adults with measles develop symptoms of pneumonia severe enough to require hospital treatment. Death from measles complications such as pneumonia or encephalitis occurs in 1 to 2 of every 1,000 cases, more commonly in infants, older adults or people with weakened immune defenses.

Additional Info

National Center for Infectious Diseases Office of Health Communication Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mailstop C-14 1600 Clifton Rd., NE Atlanta, GA 30333 Toll-Free: (888) 232-3228 http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1600 Clifton Rd., NE Atlanta, GA 30333 Phone: (404) 639-3534 Toll-Free: (800) 311-3435 http://www.cdc.gov/