| By late 20s or later, most of us may have already | | | | measures on how to avoid it and limit its |
| forgotten that time in our childhood when we were | | | | spread.Before rashes appear, symptoms like cough, |
| forced to be absent from school because of measles. | | | | red eyes, runny nose, and fever would manifest. |
| I particularly remember missing a stage performance | | | | About two days after, Koplik's spot (spots in mouth |
| in the drama club's major presentation because of | | | | area) appear, along with soar throat and inflamed |
| measles infection. I was bedridden for a couple of | | | | airways. Up to five days later, rashes then begin to |
| days because of high fever. My mom imposed a | | | | appear from head all the way to the toes. Rashes |
| strictly-in-your-room-only policy so as not to get | | | | start as abnormal bumps, which eventually get bigger |
| worse and to get the longest rest I can. Measles, | | | | and more annoying. As they go down, rashes in the |
| more than an infectious disease, is more commonly | | | | face usually subside. Bleeding and bruising happen in |
| remembered by most of us as a memorable period in | | | | cases of severe primary or secondary infection. The |
| our childhood. Rashes all over the body makes us feel | | | | disease's end comes with the ending of rashes' |
| like we have been bewitched or cursed by some | | | | spread.Measles per se is not necessarily deadly. It |
| unseen evil forces; having measles is one nightmare | | | | only becomes fatal when certain complications are |
| to (hopefully not) remember.Rarely known as | | | | not avoided. Bacterial infections such as ear |
| rubeola, measles is more popularly known as a | | | | infections, pneumonia, and tuberculosis are the |
| disease characterized by fever, runny nose, red | | | | common complications. If not attended immediately |
| eyes, cough, and an uncontrollable skin rash spread. | | | | and properly, measles infection may deteriorate the |
| The virus paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus is | | | | body's immune system and lead to continuous |
| the main culprit behind this irritating disease. The term | | | | complications. The brain can also be affected and get |
| measles is of middle English origin "maselen," which | | | | inflamed (encephalitis) and may lead to more harmful |
| means "many tiny spots". It is in reference to the | | | | events like convulsions, coma, or even death. Other |
| rash, which is the most obvious manifestation of | | | | complications can be in the form of abnormally low |
| being infected with measles. Rubeola, on the other | | | | platelet count (making a patient more vulnerable to |
| hand, is in reference to the reddish color of the body | | | | secondary infections) and the very dreadful Subacute |
| rash.The duration of measles varies from one case to | | | | sclerosing panencephalitis, wherein mental |
| another. Others who have it longer than the usual | | | | abnormalities and motor deficiencies are milder |
| would often times call it in reference to its duration: | | | | effects than the usual death.Unfortunately, there |
| seven-day measles, eight-day measles, and so on and | | | | exists no cure to measles. The treatments available |
| so forth.Measles is extremely contagious-- the reason | | | | are aimed at treating the symptoms alone and not |
| moms impose solitary confinement-- through | | | | the viral infection, specifically. To fight off the fever, |
| respiration. Being exposed or having direct contact | | | | higher fluid intake--12-16 glasses everyday-- is highly |
| with fluids from infected people's oral cavities and | | | | recommended. For runny nose and cough, a good |
| nasal cavities is the most commonly known mode of | | | | room humidity level is helpful. Humidifying the air can |
| transmission from one person to another. Being one | | | | help get rid of the cough. When one is infected with |
| of the highly transmittable and infectious diseases, | | | | measles, the eyes are usually at a great risk of |
| epidemics are reported to be occurring at least every | | | | acquiring secondary infections due to itching and |
| two to three years. Epidemic concentration is very | | | | discharges. Keeping the eyes clean by washing them |
| high in areas where there are no enough immunization | | | | with clean water and avoiding high intensity-light |
| programs. However, despite having a very wide | | | | exposure can help avoid eye infections. For overall |
| immunization scheme, America is still not free from | | | | recovery, a blissful bed rest is highly needed. The |
| measles epidemic, especially in preschools and | | | | best way parents can save their kids from the perils |
| communities of high children population. In 2002, at | | | | of measles is having them immunized with the MRR |
| least 600,000 deaths from measles all over the world | | | | (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. Immunization |
| were recorded by the World Health Organization. | | | | should be given sometime at 12 to 15 months of age |
| Although the figure is way smaller than, say, cancer | | | | (first dose) and at age 4 to 6 years (second dose). |
| or other deadly diseases, measles is not a matter to | | | | Consultation of experts throughout childhood is also |
| be taken for granted. It's highly contagious character | | | | advised. |
| is already a solid reason people must take proactive | | | | |