This highly contagious childhood disease affects adults, too.
According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may help you avoid the
illness or recover from it faster:
- Ease the itching
- Control itching and reduce fever by taking lukewarm baths with
added mineral salts or oatmeal
- Consider a vaccination
- Talk to your healthcare provider and discuss the use of a
vaccination for preventing measles
- Ask about A
- Talk to your healthcare provider about supplementing with vitamin
A to help prevent measles complications and speed recovery
- Get a checkup
- Visit your healthcare provider to make sure your measles infection
does not result in serious complications
These recommendations are not comprehensive and are not intended to replace
the advice of your doctor or pharmacist. Continue reading the full measles article for more
in-depth, fully-referenced information on medicines, vitamins, herbs, and dietary and
lifestyle changes that may be helpful.
About measles
Measles is a potentially serious, highly contagious infection caused by the measles
virus.
Infection is easily transmitted by kissing or being coughed or sneezed upon by an infected
person. The recent introduction of an effective vaccine against measles has greatly reduced
the number of cases in many countries, though some developing nations continue to experience
serious measles epidemics in children.
Product ratings for
measles
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of measles begin with a runny nose,
cough, muscle aches, fatigue, and a slight fever, often accompanied by redness of the eyes
and sensitivity to light. Later, the fever
rises and a mildly itchy red rash develops on the face and spreads to the lower body. In
severe cases, there may be high fever, convulsions, pneumonia, or severe diarrhea, and some severe cases can result in
death.
Medical options
Over-the-counter drugs focus on the treatment of symptoms, such as pain and fever. The
safest drug for this purpose is acetaminophen
(Tylenol). Children with a fever who are under the age of 18 are no longer given aspirin-containing products. Use in these
circumstances has been linked to an increased risk of Reye’s syndrome, a potentially
serious illness that can affect the liver and brain.
Prescription antibiotics such as amoxicillin (Amoxil), amoxicillin/clavulanate (Augmentin), and cephalexin (Keflex) might be used in some individuals
to prevent or treat a bacterial infection.
People with measles are commonly advised to rest and drink plenty of fluids. Healthcare
providers may also recommend limited contact with non-immunized people to prevent transmission
of the disease.
Lifestyle changes that may be helpful
Treatment of measles is aimed at minimizing discomfort as the symptoms develop. Since
people with measles tend to run a high fever, reducing the temperature with a lukewarm bath
can reduce aches and other discomforts.1 Adding mineral salts or oatmeal to the
bath water may reduce the itchiness of the skin.2 3 Because of their sensitivity to light, being in a room with dimmed
lights will be soothing to the person with measles.
Vitamins that may be helpful
Measles appears to increase the body’s need for vitamin A.4 5 Studies in
developing countries have shown that measles infection is more frequent and severe in people
with low vitamin A blood levels,6 7 and preliminary research suggests
this may also be true in the developed world.8 9 10
Repeatedly in controlled trials, preventive supplementation with vitamin A, at oral doses of
up to 400,000 IU per day, reduced the risk of death in children with measles living in
developing countries.11 12 13 Whether vitamin A
supplementation would help people with measles in developed countries, where deficiency is
uncommon, is less clear.14 However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
that all children with measles be given a short course of high-dose vitamin A. Two controlled
studies of urban South African15 and Japanese16 children hospitalized
with severe measles showed that supplementation with 100,000 to 400,000 IU of vitamin A
resulted in faster recoveries, fewer complications, and fewer pneumonia-related deaths. An
older study in England found one ounce per day of
cod liver oil (containing about 40,000 IU of vitamin A, plus vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids) reduced
measles-related deaths in children hospitalized with severe cases of the disease.17
Such large doses of vitamin A should only be taken under a doctor’s supervision.
Flavonoids are nutrients found in the
white, pithy parts of fruits and vegetables. In preliminary laboratory research,
certain flavonoids have been found to inhibit the infectivity of measles virus in the test
tube.18 Whether flavonoid supplements could be effective in preventing or treating
measles is unknown.
Are there any side effects or interactions?
Refer to the individual supplement for information about any side effects or interactions.
References:1. Boyle W, Saine A. Lectures in naturopathic hydrotherapy. East
Palestine, Ohio: Buckeye Naturopathic Press, 1988.
2. Lust, J. The Herb Book. New York: Bantam Books, 1974.
3. Pigatto P, Bigardi A, Caputo R, et al. An evaluation of the allergic
contact dermatitis potential of colloidal grain suspensions. Am J Contact Dermat
1997;8:207–9.
4. Rumore MM. Vitamin A as an immunomodulating agent. Clin Pharm
1993;12:506–14 [review].
5. West CE. Vitamin A and measles. Nutr Rev
2000;58:S46–S54.
6. Glasziou PP, Mackerras DE. Vitamin A supplementation in infectious
diseases: a meta-analysis. BMJ 1993;306:366–70.
7. Markowitz LE, Nzilambi N, Driskell WJ, et al. Vitamin A levels and
mortality among hospitalized measles patients, Kinshasa, Zaire. J Trop Pediatr
1989;35:109–12.
8. Arrieta AC, Zaleska M, Stutman HR, Marks MI. Vitamin A levels in
children with measles in Long Beach, California. J Pediatr 1992;121:75–8.
9. Butler JC, Havens PL, Sowell AL, et al. Measles severity and serum
retinol (vitamin A) concentration among children in the United States. Pediatrics
1993;91:1176–81.
10. Frieden TR, Sowell AL, Henning KJ, et al. Vitamin A levels and
severity of measles. New York City. Am J Dis Child 1992;146:182–6.
11. Glasziou PP, Mackerras DE. Vitamin A supplementation in infectious
diseases: a meta-analysis. BMJ 1993;306:366–70.
12. Fawzi WW, Chalmers TC, Herrera MG, Mosteller F. Vitamin A
supplementation and child mortality. A meta-analysis. JAMA
1993;269:898–903.
13. Barclay AJ, Foster A, Sommer A. Vitamin A supplements and mortality
related to measles: a randomised clinical trial. BMJ 1987;294:294–6.
14. Glasziou PP, Mackerras DE. Vitamin A supplementation in infectious
diseases: a meta-analysis. BMJ 1993;306:366–70.
15. Hussey GD, Klein M. A randomized, controlled trial of vitamin A in
children with severe measles. N Engl J Med 1990;323:160–4.
16. Kawasaki Y, Hosoya M, Katayose M, Suzuki H. The efficacy of oral
vitamin A supplementation for measles and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.
Kansenshogaku Zasshi 1999;73:104–9 [in Japanese].
17. Ellison JB. Intensive vitamin A therapy in measles. BMJ
1932;2:708–11.
18. Lin YM, Flavin MT, Schure R, et al. Antiviral activities of
bioflavonoids. Planta Med 1999;65:120–5.