Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Paul Books
Epidemiology
2/16/2015
Agent Attributes
Measles is an acute viral
infectious respiratory disease
thats spread primarily via
coughing and sneezing
Is recognizable by its well-known
rash, which spreads to cover most of
the body
Also called rubeola
Caused by morbillivirus
Is the most deadly of all childhood
rash/fever illnesses
(History of Vaccines, 2015)
History of Measles
References to measles can be found from as early as the
7th century.
The disease was described by the Persian physician
Rhazes in the 10th century as more dreaded than
smallpox
In 1846, Peter Panum described the incubation period of
measles and lifelong immunity after recovery from the
disease.
(History of Vaccines, 2015)
Symptoms of Measles
Begins with a fever that lasts for a
couple of days, followed by a
cough, runny nose, and
conjunctivitis
A rash starts on the face and
upper neck, spreads down the back
and trunk, then extends to the arms
and hands, as well as the legs and
feet
After about 5 days, the rash fades
the same order in which it appeared
(Measles- Q&A about Disease and Vaccine, 2015)
Characteristics of Measles
There is no national law
against drinking milk
obtained directly from a cow,
but the FDA banned the
interstate sale of raw milk in
the 1980s
Currently, about half of all
states prohibit the sale of
raw milk for human
consumption
Transmission
Environmental Factors
Measles virus is rapidly inactivated by heat, light, acidic
pH, ether, and trypsin.
It has a short survival time (less than 2 hours) in the air
or on objects and surfaces.
Occurs most often in the late winter and spring.
Host Attributes
Measles is a human disease and is not known to occur in
animals
The measles virus resides in the mucus in the nose and throat
of infected people
When they sneeze or cough, droplets spray into the air and the
droplets remain active and contagious on infected surfaces for
up to 2 hours
Although measles has no treatment or cure, most people who
catch it do survive the infection
However, the majority of measles patients will feel extremely sick for
approximately one week, and up to 30% will suffer some sort of
complication to the disease
(History of Vaccines, 2015)
Seriousness of Measles
Prevention
Routine measles vaccination for children, combined with
mass immunization campaigns in countries with high case
and death rates, are key public health strategies to reduce
global measles deaths
References
HistoryofVaccines.org. (2015, Feb 15). MeaslesTimelines. Retrieved from http://
www.historyofvaccines.org/content/timelines/measl
es
CDC.gov. (2015, Feb 14). Measles Cases and
Outbreaks. Retrieved from http://
www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
CDC.gov. (2015, Feb 14). Measles- Q&A about
Disease and Vaccine. Retrieved from http://
www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
Vaccines.gov. (2015, Feb 15). Measles. Retrieved
from http://www.vaccines.gov/diseases/measles/#
WHO.int. (2015, Feb 14). Measles. Retrieved from