Trevor Acott, age 9, of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada for his question:
ARE MEASLES AND GERMAN MEASLES THE SAME?
Before the early 1960s, almost all the children inCanadaand the United States caught measles. But then in1963 a major medical advance was made. An American bacteriologist by the name of John F. Enders developed a measles vaccine. This vaccine had reduced the number of measles cases by more than 95 percent. The Connecticut born scientist was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.Measles is a disease that causes a rash all over thebody.It is very easily spread from one person to another.The disease is usually found in children, but adults can get it too.The medical name for measles is rubeola.
A disease different than rubeola or measles is German measles, which is medically called rubella.
German measles, like measles, is highly contagious, but it is usually a mild disease. It is sometimes called three day measles. First symptoms appear two to three weeks after exposure to the disease. They may include mild throat soreness, fever and a runny nose.
About a day after the first symptoms appear, a pink rash usually appears on the face and other parts of the body. Lymph glands behind the ears and in the scalp may become enlarged and tender. After two or three days the symptoms disappear but the patient may continue to be infectious from about seven days before to about five days after the rash appears.
Both rubeola, which has now been almost completely eliminated because of a special vaccine, and rubella are caused by a virus. The disease is spread by coughing and sneezing.
No drugs exist to cure measles after it develops. Patients should be kept comfortable while the disease runs its course. In most cases, a person can have measles only once. The body produces antibodies during the disease. These are substances that fight infection. These antibodies normally provide lifelong immunity from later attacks.
Measles vaccine contains live measles virus that has been weakened by a long period of growth in animal cells in a test tube. When injected into a person's body, the weakened virus produces a mild form of the condition that results in measles.
Scientists don't know how long the vaccine immunity lasts. But they know it lasts for many years and perhaps a lifetime.
Both measles and German measles can be dangerous during pregnancy. If a woman gets the disease during the first three months of pregnancy, the measles will increase the chance that her baby will be born with one or more defects. These defects include blindness, deafness, heart damage and mental retardation.