Back to school: Pediatric contagious diseases

Measles, also known as rubeola, is a contagious, preventable viral infection. Despite developing an effective vaccine, it causes over 100,000 fatalities each year. The causative organism is the measles virus, a member of the Paramyxoviridae family and the Morbillivirus genus.

The measles virus affects humans and possesses no animal reservoir. It is transmitted by intimate contact, tiny particle aerosols, and respiratory droplet. The incubation period is 10 -14 days. Unvaccinated children are highly susceptible to measles.