Measles

If you are not immune and are in close contact with someone who has measles, there is an up to 90% chance you will catch the disease.²

By breathing in tiny droplets spread by the coughs and sneezes of people infected with the measles virus. The virus survives up to two hours on surfaces and in the air, so can also be picked up on the hands and then carried to the mouth, nose and eyes. People with the infection can spread the virus up to four days before or after the appearance of the rash.²

Measles vaccination significantly reduced deaths worldwide. But measles is still common in developing countries, especially in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Parts of Europe are also affected (see map).^1,3

Coughs, sneezes and a runny or blocked nose; sore eyes; fever; small white spots inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips; patchy red rash, usually spreading from the face and behind the ears to the rest of the body.⁴

In most cases, the symptoms last about a week.⁴ But occasionally there are severe complications such as pneumonia (up to 1 in 20 children) and inflammation of the brain, known as encephalitis (up to 1 in 1,000 children).⁵

You can take the following precautions to help reduce your risk of infection:

• Visit your nearest convenient pharmacy or specialist travel health clinic for a risk assessment before your trip
• Avoid contact with people who have measles since the disease is highly infectious.²