Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- potential exposure to measles
- unvaccinated/incompletely vaccinated individuals
- 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 tests
Tests 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
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
Sharon Nachman, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Division Chief Pediatric Infectious Disease
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Stony Brook
NY
Disclosures
SN declares that she has no competing interests.
Linda Nield, MD, FAAP
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.
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