Measles - also known as rubeola - is a very contagious disease caused by the morbillivirus. It is spread by nose, mouth or throat secretions, usually through coughing and sneezing. The child is infectious for about three to six days before and several days after the rash appears. The usual incubation period is ten to 12 days.
Measles can be dangerous, in the short and long term. During the acute attack or shortly after, a child may suffer meningitis, pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), or ear infection. Pneumonia may occur because of the measles virus itself, or a secondary bacterial infection. Encephalitis occurs in one or two in every 1,000 cases, and can be fatal. A rare delayed complication is subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), which affects the brain several years after the original measles attack.
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