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Antibodies
Measles on the back
Measles, Koplik spots - close-up
 
Overview   Symptoms   Treatment   Prevention   

Rubeola

Alternative names:

hard measles; measles; nine day measles; red measles

Symptoms:

  • a sore throat
  • a runny nose
  • a barking cough
  • muscle pain
  • fever
  • bloodshot eyes
  • tiny white spots inside the mouth (called Koplik's spots) appearing 3 to 4 days after the onset of symptoms
  • photophobia (light sensitivity)
  • rash
    • appears around the fifth day of the disease
    • may last 4 to 7 days
    • usually starts on the head and spreads to other areas, progressing downward
    • maculopapular rash--appears as both macules (flat discolored areas) and papules (solid, red, elevated areas) that later merge together (confluent); occasionally may bleed very slightly

  • itching of the rash

Note: The period between the appearance of the earliest symptoms and the appearance of a rash or fever is usually 3 to 5 days.

Signs and tests:


Adam

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