DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Can antibiotics get rid of measles? If not, what other treatments work best?

ANSWER: No treatment can eliminate a measles infection, as measles is caused by a virus. That means antibiotics, which only work against infections caused by bacteria, are not an effective treatment strategy for measles. No antiviral medications can effectively treat measles either. Treatment for measles involves managing the symptoms of the illness until the virus has run its course. But there is an effective and safe way to prevent measles: get the measles vaccine.

Measles is an infection that was once common in childhood. Now it's been largely eliminated, thanks to the vaccine. Recently, the illness has seen a resurgence, however, due to declining measles immunization rates. But because most people have not seen someone affected by measles, the severity and danger of this serious illness often is underestimated.

Measles usually starts with a mild to moderate fever, along with a persistent cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes and sore throat. This relatively mild phase of the illness may last two or three days.

The measles rash begins to appear about two weeks after a person becomes infected. The rash consists of small red spots, some of which may be slightly raised. Spots and bumps in tight clusters give the skin a splotchy red appearance. The rash appears on the face, and then spreads down the arms and trunk, and over the thighs, lower legs and feet. As the rash develops, fever rises sharply, often going as high as 104 F to 105 F.

As the illness subsides, the rash gradually fades — first from the face and last from the thighs and feet — as other symptoms disappear slowly, too.

Measles can trigger serious medical complications that may require hospitalization, particularly in young children. Common complications include bacterial ear infections, bronchitis, laryngitis, croup and pneumonia. About 1 in 1,000 people who get measles develops encephalitis — an inflammation of the brain. And 1 to 3 in 1,000 dies as a result of complications from measles. Measles is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, as it can cause preterm labor and low birth weight, and raise the risk for maternal death. Risks also are higher for people whose immune systems don't work properly, as well as for infants, children and teens.

Measles treatment involves measures to ease symptoms while the virus is active, such as taking fever-reducing medication. Research has shown that children with low levels of vitamin A tend to have more severe cases of measles, so giving vitamin A to children with measles may lessen the severity of their symptoms. If a person develops a bacterial infection, such as an ear infection or pneumonia, as a result of measles, an antibiotic may be useful to combat that infection. But again, antibiotics will not work to fight the measles infection itself.

Measles is highly contagious because the virus replicates in the nose and throat. When someone infected with measles coughs, sneezes or talks, infected droplets spray into the air, where other people can inhale them. The infected droplets stay in the air, or they may land on a surface, where they remain infectious for several hours. You can contract the virus simply by breathing the air in the room or by touching your mouth, nose or eyes after touching an infected surface. About 90% of people who don't have immunity to measles and are exposed to the virus will become infected.

The only way to combat measles is with the vaccine. The measles vaccine takes effect within 10 to 14 days after receiving it, and once a person has developed immunity to measles, it lasts a lifetime. Measles is an extremely contagious illness that can lead to serious and sometime fatal complications. The measles vaccine is safe and highly effective at preventing this illness. — Dr. Gregory Poland, Vaccine Research Group, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

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Related Articles

• Infectious Diseases A–Z: Be protected against measles before you travel published 9/16/19
• Infectious Diseases A–Z: Why it matters if U.S. loses measles elimination status published 9/2/19
• Infectious disease and vaccine hot topics: Lyme, measles, flu and HPV: Mayo Clinic Radio published 8/11/19
• Infectious Diseases A–Z: Measles cases in 30 states published 8/5/19
• Infectious Diseases A–Z: Do adults need a measles vaccine? published 5/13/19
• Mayo Clinic Q and A: Measles vaccine takes effect within weeks, also safeguards health of others published 5/10/19
• Infectious Diseases A-Z: The 3 Cs of measles published 4/22/19
• Infectious Diseases A-Z: Why the measles virus is so contagious published 4/9/19
• Infectious Diseases A-Z: Battling a myth about measles vaccine published 4/1/19

The post Mayo Clinic Q and A: Treating measles — managing symptoms until the virus has run its course appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: How long does it take to become immune from measles once one has gotten the measles vaccine? And given the current outbreak, would it be beneficial for me to get a booster vaccine even though I was vaccinated against measles as a child?

ANSWER: The measles vaccine takes effect within weeks of receiving it, and once a person has developed immunity to measles, it lasts a lifetime. Measles is an extremely contagious illness that can lead to serious and sometime fatal complications. The measles vaccine is safe and highly effective at preventing this illness.

All children 18 and younger should receive two doses of the measles vaccine. It’s recommended that the first dose be given when a child is 12–15 months old. Children younger than 1 year don’t develop a good response to the vaccine because their mother’s immunity not only protects them from getting the disease, but also from responding to the vaccine. The second dose is recommended before a child starts school, around ages 4–6.

Immunity to measles develops in 10–14 days after the first dose. Studies have found that 93% of recipients receive full immunity with the first dose. A second dose ensures that more than 97% are immune. The measles vaccine does not wear off over time. So even during an outbreak, you don’t need another dose of the measles vaccine if you already have evidence of immunity to the illness.

Evidence of immunity includes written documentation of adequate vaccination. For low-risk adults who are 19 or older, adequate vaccination is one or more doses of the measles vaccine on or after the first birthday. Adults who are at higher risk for measles, including college students, health care personnel and international travelers, need two doses of the vaccine at least 28 days apart to be vaccinated adequately.

In addition, almost everyone born before 1957 has immunity to measles and does not require additional vaccination. That’s because the measles vaccine was first produced in the early 1960s. Before that, measles was common, so it’s likely people who were children before 1957 had measles and as a result have immunity from disease.

One of the measles vaccines given in the 1960s does not count. Current and past valid measles-containing vaccines are live, attenuated vaccines. The “killed” or inactivated version used from 1963 through 1967 does not count. If you received unspecified measles vaccine doses during those years, it’s not possible to know which version was used and you should discuss this with your health care provider.

As an adult 19 or older, if you’re unsure about your vaccination status or your immunity to measles, talk to your health care provider. Records showing the dates of your measles vaccination serve as proof of immunity. For those who lack records, getting a dose of the vaccine is safe, even if you were previously vaccinated. Alternatively, a blood test can confirm if you already have immunity as the result of vaccination or illness.

Having immunity to measles is crucial because the illness can lead to serious medical complications, particularly in young children. Complications can include bacterial ear infections, bronchitis, laryngitis, croup and pneumonia.

Measles is highly contagious. It’s caused by a virus that replicates in the nose and throat. When someone infected with measles coughs, sneezes or talks, infected droplets spray into the air, where other people can inhale them. The infected droplets stay in the air or they may land on a surface, where they remain infectious for several hours. You can contract the virus simply by breathing the air in the room or touching your mouth, nose or eyes after touching an infected surface. About 90 percent of people who don’t have immunity to measles and are exposed to the virus will become infected.

Not all people can receive the measles vaccine. These include infants younger than 12 months, pregnant women, and those whose immune systems don’t work properly. Those people depend on everyone else who can get the vaccine to do so. That way, the vaccine not only protects the people who receive it, it also safeguards the health of vulnerable individuals in the community. — Dr. Robert Jacobson, Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

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Related Articles

• More measles cases: CDC says largest outbreak since measles eliminated in 2000 published 4/25/19
• Infectious Diseases A-Z: The 3 Cs of measles published 4/22/19
• Infectious Diseases A-Z: Why the measles virus is so contagious published 4/9/19
• Infectious Diseases A-Z: Battling a myth about measles vaccine published 4/1/19
• Infectious Diseases A-Z: Measles outbreaks continue in the US published 2/25/19
• Consumer Health: Measles — contagious and preventable published 2/1/19

The post Mayo Clinic Q and A: Measles vaccine takes effect within weeks, also safeguards health of others appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

"It is one of the factors that makes measles so contagious and so prone to creating outbreaks when there is a case," says Dr. Rajapakse. "You can become infected with measles, even if you don't come face to face with someone who is infected. It is why vaccination is so important. You can't control who was in the airspace before you, so having a good level of immunity is critical to staying protected."

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse explains how measles spread.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse are in the downloads at the end of the post. Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network."

Symptoms of measles include:

• Fever
• A skin rash made up of red flat blotches, often starting on the head and spreading downward
• Dry cough
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Inflamed eyes (also known as conjunctivitis)
• Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers on a red background found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek — also called "Koplik's spots"

Complications may include ear infection, pneumonia and encephalitis, which can result in permanent brain damage. Each year, for every 1,000 children who get measles in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 1 or 2 children will die.

Measles can be prevented with the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, also known as the MMR vaccine. The CDC recommends the MMR vaccine for all persons 1 year and older. During outbreaks or if traveling to an area where measles is common, children 6–12 months old may be eligible to receive an early dose of the vaccine for protection.

If you haven't been vaccinated, Dr. Rajapakse says it's not too late. "If you are an adult and you've never been vaccinated, there are catch-up schedules to get all of the recommended vaccines for your age group."

If you're not sure if you've been vaccinated, Dr. Rajapakse recommends checking with your primary care provider.

The post Infectious Diseases A-Z: Why the measles virus is so contagious appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Symptoms of measles include:

• Fever
• Dry cough
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis)
• Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers on a red background found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek — also called Koplik's spots
• A skin rash made up of large, flat blotches that often flow into one another

Journalists:  Sound bites are available in the downloads. Click here for a transcript.

The post Mayo Clinic Infectious Diseases Expert Comments on Measles appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Here's the podcast: MayoClinicRadio 02 07 15 podcast

Myth or Matter-of-Fact: Having my child vaccinated protects other children as well.

To listen to the program at 9 a.m. Saturday, February 7, click here.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is available on iHeart Radio.

Mayo Clinic Radio is a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

To find and listen to archived shows, click here.

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Mayo Clinic Explores Google Glass The future of health care at Mayo Clinic welcomes Google's new wearable mobile technology, Google Glass — a miniature electronic device incorporated in glasses — that allows users to interact with the internet without using their hands. Approximately 10,000 people have Glass, early adapters who participate in Google's Explorer program. At Mayo Clinic, several physicians and administrators are testing Google Glass across different specialties and departments. 

Virotherapy Shows Promise Against Multiple Myeloma Recently, Mayo Clinic researchers delivered on a promising new treatment, virotherapy, in the battle against the deadly cancer, multiple myeloma. The MV-NIS therapy is being manufactured for a larger, phase 2 clinical trial. The researchers also want to test the effectiveness of the virotherapy in combination with radioactive therapy (iodine-131) in a future study.

The post Future of Health Care Update appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.