Measles: What You Need to Know
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious, acute viral illness. It begins with fever, cough, runny nose and conjunctivitis (pink eye), followed by the onset of a whole-body rash.
Measles can cause severe health complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “measles is one of the most contagious of all infectious diseases; approximately 9 out of 10 susceptible persons with close contact to a measles patient will develop measles.”