[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Microbiology](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/) › [Respiratory RNA viruses](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/groups/respiratory-rna-viruses/) › Measles virus [Microbiology](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/) · [Respiratory RNA viruses](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/groups/respiratory-rna-viruses/) # Measles virus - Virus - Enveloped - Airborne - Exam priority: high One of the most contagious viruses known. It causes fever, cough, red eyes and a rash that spreads down from the face; the vaccine prevents it. Updated 2026-11-01 Also called: rubeola, morbillivirus ## Key points - Enveloped negative-sense paramyxovirus (Morbillivirus) - Prodrome of cough, coryza and conjunctivitis; Koplik spots; rash moving downward - Airborne precautions with an N95 respirator - Vitamin A for every child with measles - Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis years later ## At a glance **Shape** Pleomorphic spherical **Genome** Single-stranded, negative-sense, non-segmented RNA **Envelope** Enveloped **Family** Paramyxoviridae, genus Morbillivirus **Size** Pleomorphic, about 150 nm or more (up to several hundred nm) ## Morphology - Envelope with haemagglutinin (H) and fusion protein (F), which forms multinucleated giant cells - A single serotype, so the vaccine gives lasting protection ## Transmission - Aerosols that stay in the air for up to two hours - Droplets and respiratory secretions - Contagious from four days before to four days after the rash - One person can infect many susceptible others **Reservoir:** Humans only, which makes elimination possible ### Isolation precautions What the care team adds to standard precautions. **Airborne** N95 respirator and a negative-pressure room. ## Virulence factors - Infects lymphocytes and dendritic cells (SLAM/CD150 receptor) and then epithelium (nectin-4) - Immunosuppression and "immune amnesia": it erases memory against other infections for months or years - Warthin–Finkeldey giant cells in lymphoid tissue - Persistent defective virus in the brain: subacute sclerosing panencephalitis ## Diseases it causes - Measles, with pneumonia, otitis, diarrhoea, encephalitis and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis years later [Measles →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/measles/) ## Clinical picture - Prodrome of high fever, cough, coryza and conjunctivitis - Koplik spots: whitish dots on the buccal mucosa, pathognomonic - Maculopapular rash that starts on the face and behind the ears and moves down - Complications: otitis, pneumonia, croup, diarrhoea, encephalitis, blindness (with vitamin A deficiency) - Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, rare and fatal, years later ## Diagnosis - Specific serum IgM - RT-PCR on a throat or nasopharyngeal swab and urine, taken at first contact - Genotyping to tell wild-type virus from vaccine virus - Every suspected case is immediately notifiable ## Treatment There is no specific antiviral: supportive care and vitamin A (retinol) for children, which lowers complications and deaths. Secondary bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. Drug class only; doses and regimens are set by the clinician from the current guideline. ## Prevention - MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella), live attenuated, in two doses - Ring vaccination around each case - Airborne precautions: negative-pressure room and an N95 respirator for all staff - Isolation until four days after rash onset **Vaccine:** Live attenuated MMR vaccine; it is in Colombia's PAI with one dose at one year and a booster in early childhood. ## In Colombia Colombia has held measles-free status since 2014. In 2018 and 2019 import-linked outbreaks tied to the Venezuelan epidemic produced 452 confirmed cases; the country kept its status and was recertified in 2022. With the regional rise in cases in 2025 and 2026, surveillance and ring vaccination remain active. ## Memory aid Cough, runny nose, red eyes, then white specks in the mouth and a rash that "comes down like a curtain" from the face: that is measles. ## Test yourself Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it. ## Which oral finding is pathognomonic for measles? Koplik spots, whitish dots on a red base on the buccal mucosa. ## Which isolation precautions does a measles patient need? Airborne precautions: a negative-pressure isolation room and an N95 respirator for all staff, until four days after the rash. ## Which late neurological complication does measles cause? Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a fatal degenerative disease that appears years after infection. ## Which supplement is given to children with measles, and why? Vitamin A, because it lowers severity, eye complications and mortality. [Add to my cards (4)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/microbiology/measles-virus/) ## Related - [Rubella virus](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/rubella-virus/) - [Mumps virus](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/mumps-virus/) ## Related conditions - [Measles](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/measles/) ## What the colours mean **Gram-positive** Thick peptidoglycan wall: stains purple. **Gram-negative** Thin wall with an outer membrane: stains pink. **Acid-fast** Lipid-rich wall (mycobacteria): Ziehl–Neelsen stain. **Contact** Gown and gloves; dedicated equipment. For C. difficile, soap-and-water hand washing. **Droplet** Surgical mask within about a metre; single room. **Airborne** N95 respirator and a negative-pressure room. [← Back to the group: Respiratory RNA viruses](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/groups/respiratory-rna-viruses/) Educational content on microorganisms; not a treatment guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given. Sources: [Measles](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/measles) (World Health Organization (WHO), 2026); [Clinical Overview of Measles](https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html) (CDC, 2025); [Colombia recertificada como país libre de sarampión y rubéola](https://www.ins.gov.co/Noticias/Paginas/colombia-recertificada-como-pais-libre-de-sarampion-y-rubeola.aspx) (Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS) Colombia, 2022); [Measles](https://www.paho.org/en/topics/measles) (Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), 2026). ## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake Representative model, for educational purposes only. --- Source: https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/measles-virus/ License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/measles-virus/