Measles is a type of viral infection that takes places within the respiratory system. This condition is also known as rubeola and is a very contagious disease that spreads easily through contact with infected saliva and mucus. Infected people can spread the infection through the air when they sneeze or cough. Furthermore, the virus is capable of remaining alive on surfaces for a number of hours so that anyone who gets in contact with those surfaces during those hours can get infected. Often, the particles enter the air and settle onto surfaces, meaning that anyone within close proximity can become infected.
Drinking from an infected person’s glass, or sharing utensils can easily increase your risk of getting infected. Unfortunately, at this stage, there is no prescription option out there that can help to treat measles. Rather, the best treatment options to help manage measles often involve waiting for the virus to disappear on its own.
Protecting Vulnerable People from Infection
No treatment is currently available to completely remove a serious infection of measles. Although, it’s worth noting that there are measures that might protect people who might be vulnerable to infection from being affected by the virus. One of the most effective options is to get a vaccination after they were exposed. People who haven’t been immunized against measles, including babies, could receive the injection to protect them after they have been exposed to measles 72 hours after the original exposure. This can offer some defense against the illness, or at least reduce the symptoms.
Another one of the best treatment options to help manage measles as a protection measure is to use immune serum globulin. Women who are pregnant, babies, and people who get the virus can get some proteins injected into their bodies which can prevent the onset of the disease and make your experience with it less severe too.
Medications for Measles
As mentioned above, there’s no direct treatment for measles, but there are medications that can be used to help manage the symptoms. Medications are therefore some of the best treatment options to help manage measles. Usually, these medications will include pills or drugs that are intended to bring down a fever. Children or adults may take over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen to reduce the fever that comes with measles, but it’s important to be careful when giving these substances to children.
Additionally, some individuals may be given antibiotics to help them manage some of the associated problems. Usually, antibiotics are given when a bacterial infection, like an ear infection, or some form of pneumonia develops while the patient has measles. The antibiotics are intended for the co-occurring condition and not the measles themselves.
Finally, people who have particularly reduced vitamin A numbers are generally more commonly found to suffer from severe cases of measles. Giving doses of Vitamin A can help to minimize the symptoms of suffering from the measles infection. Usually, this substance is given in large doses of around 200,000 units for a period of approximately two days.
