Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- potential exposure to measles
- unimmunized or vaccine failure
- fever
- cough
- coryza
- conjunctivitis
- Koplik spots
- maculopapular rash
Risk factors
- exposure to measles virus
- no prior immunization against measles
- failure to respond to measles vaccine
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- measles-specific IgM and IgG serology (ELISA)
Investigations to consider
- acute and convalescent sera for measles-specific IgG
- measles RNA detection by PCR
- antigen detection by fluorescent antibody or PCR techniques
- isolation of virus in tissue culture system
Treatment algorithm
all patients
Contributors
Authors
Elizabeth Barnett, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Boston University School of Medicine
Boston Medical Center
Boston
MA
Disclosures
EB receives clinical trial funds from Pfizer (COVID, PCV20, and RSV vaccines) and GSK (MMRV vaccine). She receives royalties from Elsevier (Immigrant Medicine), AAP (Nelson's antimicrobial therapy), and honoraria from AAP (Red Book). She participated in an Advisory Board (Sobi, RSV).
Peer reviewers
Linda Nield, MD, FAAP
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
West Virginia University School of Medicine
Morgantown
WV
Disclosures
LN is an author of a reference cited in this topic.
Aisha Sethi, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Associate Residency Program Director
University of Chicago
Chicago
IL
Disclosures
AS declares that she has no competing interests.
Differentials
- Rubella
- Scarlet fever
- Parvovirus B19
More DifferentialsGuidelines
- Recommended child and adolescent immunization schedule for ages 18 years or younger, United States, 2023
- Recommended adult immunization schedule for ages 19 years or older, United States, 2023
More GuidelinesPatient leaflets
Measles, mumps, and rubella: should my child have the MMR vaccine?
More Patient leaflets
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