Measles history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
The symptoms of measles generally begin about 7-14 days after a person has been infected. Clinical diagnosis of measles requires a history of fever of at least three days together with at least one of the three Cs. Observation of Koplik's spots is also diagnostic of measles. The classical symptoms of measles include a fever for at least three days, and the three Cs—cough, coryza (runny nose) and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The fever may reach up to 104° Fahrenheit/ 40° Celsius. Koplik's spots seen inside the mouth are pathognomonic (diagnostic) for measles but are not often seen, even in real cases of measles, because they are transient and may disappear within a day of arising.
History and Symptoms
Measles usually begins with a prodromal illness that lasts for 3-5 days consisting of fever and 3 'C' 's. The characteristic measles rash is classically described as a generalized, maculopapular, erythematous rash that begins several days after the fever starts. It starts on the head before spreading to cover most of the body, often causing itching. The rash is said to "stain", changing colour from red to dark brown, before disappearing. The rash usually begins on a person’s face at the hairline and spreads downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit.After a few days, the fever subsides and the rash fades.
Common Symptoms
- Fever
- Rash
- Cough
- Runny Nose
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Malaise
- Koplik's spots