How dangerous is measles in adults? How to differentiate it from measles and rubella?

Compared to children, measles in adults has a lower incidence rate, leading to a lack of attention and consequently, many dangerous complications. Furthermore, many people confuse measles with rubella. Below, MEDLATEC will share some information to help readers better understand this disease and be more proactive in protecting their health.

1. Overview of measles

Measles is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus belonging to the Paramyxovirus family. If left untreated or improperly treated, measles can lead to many serious complications, especially in children under 5 years old.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads rapidly.

According to the WHO, in 1980, before the measles vaccine was widely available, the number of deaths from measles reached 2.6 million. In 2012, the number of deaths from measles worldwide reached 122,000.

According to WHO data, in 2023, the number of measles cases in Europe exceeded 300,000. In the Western Pacific region, the number of measles cases also increased by approximately 255%. In 2024, Vietnam was among the countries warned of the potential risk of a measles outbreak, which occurs every five years.

2. How dangerous is measles?

Measles in adults is often not given as much attention as in young children, leading to complacency and a lack of medical attention, resulting in dangerous complications such as encephalitis, paralysis, or epilepsy. Adults who contract measles are often unvaccinated or lack antibodies. Furthermore, adults tend to be more careless about prevention due to the belief that only children get measles, leading to widespread transmission.

The dangers of measles should not be underestimated, even for adults.

Adults with measles may experience quadriplegia or sphincter dysfunction if complications such as meningitis or myelitis occur. In addition, measles patients are at risk of pneumonia, bronchitis, blindness, etc. Pregnant women with measles are at risk of premature birth, miscarriage, etc.

Patients whose fever has subsided may experience a high fever again with symptoms such as headache, seizures, and coma if not carefully cared for. The disease spreads rapidly through the respiratory tract and can easily erupt into an epidemic.

3. Symptoms of measles in adults

Adults have a relatively low incidence of measles. This is because most have been infected as children and have developed antibodies. However, measles can still occur in adults who do not have antibodies. Typically, recorded cases have an incubation period of 7-21 days before specific symptoms appear.

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The disease has typical symptoms such as fever, fatigue, rash, etc.

• High fever, constant fatigue.
• Loss of appetite.
• Headache.
• Inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, specifically manifesting as dry cough, runny nose, etc.
• Red eyes, a gritty feeling in the eyes, excessive tearing, sensitivity to light, and swelling of the eyelids.
• Small, white or gray granules, about 0.5–1 mm in size, appear on the inside of the mouth—along the upper molars.
• The rash appears about 2-4 days after a high fever. The rash consists of pink, raised spots on the skin's surface. After the rash covers the entire body, the body temperature will gradually decrease.

4. Differentiating between measles and rubella

Measles and rubella are two different diseases, but they are easily confused due to their names. Here are some distinguishing features:

	Measles	Measles Rubella
Causes of the disease	The measles virus belongs to the paramyxovirus family.	Rubella virus belongs to the togavirus family.
Incubation period	7-21 days	12-23 days
Manifestations	– Mild to moderate fever in the initial phase, accompanied by dry cough, runny nose, diarrhea, etc. – Full-blown symptoms: High fever of 39 degrees Celsius, with manifestations of pink maculopapular rash, tight, itchy, and uncomfortable skin. – Recovery: The rash fades and disappears in the order it appeared, and other symptoms also gradually subside.	– Onset: Headache, fatigue, sore throat, runny nose. – Full-blown stage: Mild fever of around 38°C accompanied by symptoms from the initial stage. Swollen lymph nodes and an irregular rash. – Recovery: The rashes gradually disappear and leave no trace on the skin surface.
Complications	High complication rate, posing a danger: – Corneal ulceration. – Interstitial pneumonia, laryngitis, encephalitis, etc. – Impaired immune function. – Causes miscarriage, stillbirth, etc. – High risk of death	The complication rate is very low, but a risk factor for pregnant women has been noted: – Arthritis, encephalitis, ear infections. – Risks include miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects in the child, etc.

5. Methods for diagnosing measles

Measles in adults is usually diagnosed through clinical manifestations such as fever, conjunctivitis, or respiratory tract inflammation, etc. The most easily recognizable sign is the appearance of a red, maculopapular rash, but sometimes, some cases are asymptomatic. Instead, the patient may only experience a mild fever, which can easily be overlooked. Therefore, in addition to clinical symptoms, doctors also diagnose the disease through several methods as follows:

Blood tests are used in combination with other methods to diagnose diseases.

• A complete blood count (CBC) is performed to identify any decreases in the number of white blood cells, lymphocytes, and platelets.
• Chest X-rays help detect conditions such as interstitial pneumonia or damage to the lung parenchyma.
• Serological testing to detect IgM antibodies.
• Gene amplification reactions are used to isolate the virus from blood and nasopharyngeal swabs at an early stage, if possible.

A definitive diagnosis will be made as soon as epidemiological information is available, including whether the patient has been in contact with a measles patient or has been in an area experiencing a measles outbreak. Combined with the clinical manifestations of the disease described above, the doctor will then make a final diagnosis.

6. Methods of treating measles

Upon diagnosis of measles, patients should self-isolate from family to prevent the spread of the virus. Treatment for measles in adults requires careful attention and adherence to a doctor's instructions, specifically:

Treating measles in adults is not overly complicated, but isolation is essential to prevent the spread of the disease.

• Reducing fever: Patients with high fever need solutions to quickly lower their fever, such as: taking medication as prescribed by a doctor, drinking fruit juice, resting in a cool, well-ventilated area, etc.
• Nutrition: Patients need to receive adequate nutrients to aid in a speedy recovery. They should also receive vitamin A supplementation to prevent eye complications caused by measles.
• Hygiene issues: Patients need to be cared for and isolated at home under the best possible conditions. Regarding personal hygiene, patients should consciously take good care of their oral hygiene.

Additionally, during treatment, if the patient exhibits symptoms such as high fever, recurrent fever after the rash has faded, rapid heartbeat, lethargy, etc., they should be promptly taken to the hospital for timely medical intervention.

Above is the information about measles in adults that MEDLATEC has updated for you. If you notice any suspicious symptoms, you should quickly seek medical attention at a reputable healthcare facility such as the MEDLATEC Healthcare System for examination and treatment. In addition to going to the hospital, you can also use MEDLATEC's reliable and convenient on-site measles testing service.

Currently, MEDLATEC is offering various screening packages to help detect diseases early at reasonable costs, which you can refer to:

No.	Category	Meaning
1	Complete blood count (18 parameters)	Determine the number of blood cells.
2	Urea	Kidney function
3	Creatinine	Kidney function
4	AST	Liver function
5	ALT	Liver function
6	Electrolyte balance: Na/K/Cl	Determine if there is an electrolyte imbalance.
7	CRP	Determine the inflammation index.
8	Electrocardiogram	Diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias
9	Chest X-ray	Monitoring for pulmonary complications
10	Ear, Nose, and Throat Endoscopy	Check for lesions in the throat.

Choose MEDLATEC's convenient and high-quality on-site testing service.

To schedule an appointment for a medical examination or home sample collection, please contact MEDLATEC 's hotline at 1900 56 56 56 for assistance.

Source: https://medlatec.vn/tin-uc/benh-soi-o-nguoi-lon-nguy-hiem-nhu-the-nao-phan-biet-voi-soi-rubella