Warning Signs Linked To Measles

High Fever

A high fever is characterized by a temporary but severe increase in the temperature of an individual's body. This high temperature happens when pyrogens or chemicals in a patient's bloodstream bind to receptors in their hypothalamus. When this binding occurs, it increases the body temperature point to higher than it normally is. Pyrogens are produced by the immune system's white blood cells when they detect certain viruses and bacteria in an individual's bloodstream. The body's response of temperature increase is a natural mechanism the body uses in an attempt to eradicate bacteria and viruses. This mechanism can be effective since most viruses and bacteria cannot survive in high temperatures. When an individual contracts the measles, their immune system detects it, and it releases pyrogens that cause the hypothalamus to increase body temperature. While a fever sounds like it could be very helpful in getting rid of the measles, it is not always a good thing for an individual to have such a high body temperature. If the body's temperature exceeds a certain threshold, the patient may experience convulsions or seizures.

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Skin Rash

An individual who is affected by measles develops a characteristic skin rash around three to five days following the initial onset of other symptoms. The measles rash starts off looking like flat reddened spots that initially manifest on a patient's hairline, face, and behind their ears. The rash will continue spreading down the individual's neck and torso. From there, the rash will continue spreading down the arms to the hands and down the legs to the feet. In many measles patients, small raised bumps may develop on top of the characteristic flat red spots, but they will not be filled with any fluid. Rather than taking on an isolated spotty pattern on the body, the measles rash has a tendency to become joined together into blotches as it makes its way from the patient's head to the rest of their body. When an individual with measles starts to break out in the rash, they may reach a high body temperature of up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Any individual with a measles rash will generally be contagious until after the rash has subsided.

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