Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can be very unpleasant and sometimes lead to serious complications.
Anyone can get measles if they haven't been vaccinated or they haven't had it before, although it's most common in young children.
The infection usually clears in around 7 to 10 days.
Symptoms of measles
The initial symptoms of measles develop around 10 days after you're infected.
These can include:
cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, sneezing, and a cough
sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light
a high temperature (fever), which may reach around 40C (104F)
small greyish-white spots on the inside of the cheeks
A few days later, a red-brown blotchy rash will appear. This usually starts on the head or upper neck, before spreading outwards to the rest of the body.
How measles is spread
The measles virus is contained in the millions of tiny droplets that come out of the nose and mouth when an infected person coughs or sneezes. How measles can be prevented
Measles can be prevented by having the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Sources: NHS UK
