What is measles (rubeola)?

Measles, also called rubeola , is caused by a virus. It's spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or shares food or drinks. The virus can travel through the air. This means you can get measles if you're near someone who has it even if that person doesn't cough or sneeze directly on you.

Symptoms may start about 7 to 14 days after you're exposed to measles. Symptoms include a high fever, a runny nose, sneezing, a sore throat, and a cough. The lymph glands in your neck may swell. You also may feel very tired and have diarrhea and red, sore eyes. After these symptoms start to go away, you may get tiny white spots inside your mouth, followed by a rash over your body.

Care at home, such as rest, fluids, and pain relievers, is usually the only treatment you need for measles.

If you've had measles, you can't get it again.

Early symptoms of measles are a high fever, a runny nose, sneezing, a sore throat, and a cough. You also may have diarrhea and red, sore eyes. As these symptoms start to go away, you'll get tiny white spots inside your mouth, followed by a rash all over your body.

Measles usually gets better with home care. But if you've been exposed and you haven't had the vaccine, you may be able to prevent the infection by getting immunoglobulin (IG) or the measles vaccine. Babies, pregnant people, and people who have impaired immune systems may need to get IG if they're exposed to measles.

Measles can be prevented by a vaccine. It's important to get your child vaccinated because measles can sometimes cause serious problems.

Some parents worry that vaccines cause autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. But many studies have been done, and no link has been found between vaccines and ASD.

Measles is one of the most easily spread diseases. Outbreaks can easily occur. For instance, a person from another country may have measles and not know it yet. If that person travels outside their own country, they could spread measles to people who are not immune. Also, if you travel to another country and you are not immune to measles, you may be at risk.

If you don't know whether you're immune to measles and you plan to travel, check with your doctor or local health clinic to see whether you should get the vaccine before you travel.

If you think you have measles, call ahead and explain your symptoms before you go to a doctor's office. After you've had an exam, your doctor may order a blood test, a viral culture, or both to see if you have measles.

• Your child should stay at home to avoid contact with people who have never had measles and who have not been immunized. Measles is very contagious. Your child can spread measles to others from 4 days before the rash appears to 4 days after the rash appears.
• Have your child drink plenty of fluids.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of rest to help the body heal.
• Give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) for pain. Do not use ibuprofen if your child is less than 6 months old unless the doctor gave you instructions to use it. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20. It has been linked to Reye syndrome, a serious illness.
• Do not give your child two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to. Many pain medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.
• Try to keep your child from scratching the rash.
• Keep your child away from smoke. Do not smoke or let anyone else smoke around your child or in your house.
• Have your child rest their eyes often. If your child's eyes are sensitive to light, close the window blinds in the room, and limit the amount of time your child watches screens.

Measles is a very contagious (easily spread) infection that causes a rash all over your body. It is also called rubeola. The measles vaccine protects against the illness. The vaccine is part of the MMR and MMRV vaccines. Most children get the vaccine as part of their regular shots.

Measles is caused by a virus. It is spread when a person who has it coughs, sneezes, or shares food or drinks. The virus can travel through the air. This means that you can get measles if you are near someone who has the virus even if they don't cough or sneeze on you.

You can spread the virus to others from 4 days before the rash starts until 4 days after the rash appeared. The virus is most often spread when people first get sick, before they know they have it.