Measles

Measles (khasra) is a highly contagious viral illness with fever, rash, cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, and white spots inside the mouth (Koplik spots). It can be severe — leading to pneumonia, severe diarrhoea, encephalitis, blindness, and death, particularly in malnourished children. Measles is almost entirely preventable by vaccination.

Symptoms

• High fever (often over 39°C), worsening over days.
• Cough, runny nose, red watery eyes.
• Koplik spots — small white spots inside the cheek; appear before the rash.
• Rash — starts on the face and behind the ears, then spreads down the body; reddish-brown, flat and raised.
• Very unwell; child looks miserable.

Red flags — hospital

• Fast or difficult breathing (possible pneumonia).
• Severe dehydration from diarrhoea/poor feeding.
• Drowsiness, confusion, seizures (encephalitis).
• Eye pain, vision change.
• High fever persisting or worsening after rash fades.

Care and treatment

• Supportive — fluids, simple pain reliever, rest, nutrition, isolate the child.
• Vitamin A — two doses reduce severity and eye complications; standard in measles management in Indian guidelines.
• Treat complications — pneumonia, ear infection, diarrhoea, encephalitis at hospital as needed.
• Highly infectious from 4 days before to 4 days after rash — isolate from other children, pregnant women, immunocompromised people, unvaccinated infants.

Prevention — vaccination

• MR (measles-rubella) vaccine is free under UIP — first dose at 9-12 months, second at 16-24 months.
• MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) is offered in many private schedules.
• Two doses provide long-term protection.
• India has committed to measles-rubella elimination; outbreaks still happen in areas with lower coverage — catch-up vaccination at any age is worthwhile.
• Post-exposure vaccine within 72 hours may prevent or reduce severity in unvaccinated contacts; immunoglobulin in specific high-risk cases.

Measles is often dismissed as "just a childhood illness." It isn't — before vaccines, it killed a large number of Indian children every year, and still does where coverage falters. A single shot for a child is a lifetime of protection, plus protection for the community.