Complications resulting from measles are more likely to develop in some children, for example:
- children with a weakened immune system, such as those with leukaemia or AIDS,
- children with a poor diet, and
- children under the age of five.
Complications are also more likely to develop in adults who are over the age of 20.
Common complications
Some of the common complications of measles are:
- diarrhoea,
- vomiting,
- eye infection (conjunctivitis), and
- inflammation of the voicebox (laryngitis).
Inner ear infection and inflammation (otitis media), which often causes earache, may also be a complication of measles.
Fits that are caused by a fever (febrile convulsions) are also possible complications of measles. However, the fits, although alarming, are not usually dangerous.
Less common complications
Less common complications of measles are listed below.
- Meningitis.
- Pneumonia (lung infection) - signs are fast, laboured breathing, chest pain, and deteriorating condition.
- Hepatitis (liver infection).
- Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) - which can be fatal, so you should watch for drowsiness, headache, and vomiting.
- Low platelet (white blood cell) count - known medically as thrombocytopenia, which affects the blood's ability to clot.
- Bronchitis and croup (infection of the airways) - characterised by a hacking, or barking cough.
- Squint - the virus may affect the nerves and muscles of the eye.
Rare complications
Rarely, measles can lead to the conditions that are outlined below.
- Serious eye disorders, such as an infection of the optic nerve (the nerve that transmits information from the eye to the brain). This is known as optic neuritis and can lead to blindness.
- Heart and nervous system problems.
- A serious brain complication, known as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), can occur, sometimes several years after getting measles. Although the condition is fatal, it is very rare, occurring in only one in every 100,000 cases of measles.
Measles and pregnancy
If you are planning to get pregnant and you have not had measles yet, you should arrange with your GP to have the MMR vaccine. If you catch measles during pregnancy, it can be passed on to your baby and can be very damaging, or even fatal. Measles in pregnancy can cause miscarriage, premature labour or a baby with low birth weight. The MMR jab cannot be given during pregnancy.
