What kind of illness is measles?
Measles
Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the measles virus.[3][9] Symptoms usually develop 10–12 days after exposure to an infected person and last 7–10 days.[6][7] Initial symptoms typically include fever, often greater than 40°C (104.0°F), cough, runny nose, and inflamed eyes.[3][4] Small white spots known as Koplik's spots may form inside the mouth two or three days after the start of symptoms.[4] A red, flat rash which usually starts on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body typically begins three to five days after the start of symptoms.[4] Common complications include diarrhea (in 8% of cases), middle ear infection (7%), and pneumonia (6%).[5] Less commonly seizures, blindness, or inflammation of the brain may occur.[6][5] Other names include morbilli, rubeola, red measles, and English measles.[1][2] Rubella, which is sometimes called German measles, and roseola are different diseases caused by unrelated viruses.[10]
Measles
Between roughly 1855 and 2005, measles has been estimated to have killed about 200 million people worldwide.[110] Measles killed 20 percent of Hawaii's population in the 1850s.[111] In 1875, measles killed over 40,000 Fijians, approximately one-third of the population.[112] In the 19th century, the disease killed 50% of the Andamanese population.[113] Seven to eight million children are thought to have died from measles each year before the vaccine was introduced.[17]