measles

Acute virus disease spread by airborne infection. Symptoms are fever, severe catarrh, small spots inside the mouth, and a raised, blotchy red rash appearing for about a week after two weeks' incubation. Prevention is by vaccination.

In 2003, 530,000 children died of measles worldwide. In industrialized countries measles is not usually a serious disease, but serious complications may develop, so most developed countries have a vaccination programme. Measles kills approximately one in 5,000 children who develop the disease in developed countries. It also has a one in 1,000 risk of causing encephalitis, which leaves half of those children who develop it brain-damaged.

In 2003, the world vaccination coverage levels for measles was at 77%, but lower coverage was reported in those areas with the highest disease burden, including Africa.