Measles: an infection of the respiratory system

Measles
Measles is a highly contagious disease. It is caused by a virus – an extremely tiny organism that can only reproduce itself by residing within living cells. Humans are the only living creatures who can develop measles, and they can only get it if they are exposed to the measles virus.

The most common way that people get infected with the disease is by breathing in tiny droplets of water vapor containing the measles virus. An uninfected person can get measles just by breathing the air in a room that was previously occupied by an infected person.

The measles can live in the air for two hours after an infected person leaves the room. People can also get measles if they have direct contact with fluid from the nose or mouth of an infected person.

Once introduced into a person’s respiratory system, the measles virus proceeds to attach itself to the lining of the airways. Drawing energy from this new host, the virus begins to multiply and spread through the body. 
Measles: an infection of the respiratory system

How is measles transmitted?

Measles virus causes a potentially serious generalized infection characterized by a maculopapular rash (rubeola). It is one of the most highly contagious infections agents and outbreaks can occur in populations in which less than 10% of persons are susceptible.

Like influenza virus and rhinovirus, measles virus is transmitted by the cough or sneeze of an infected individual.

Chains of transmission commonly occur among household contacts, school children and health care workers. An uninfected person can get measles just by breathing the air in a room that was previously occupied by an infected person. There will be aerosolization of particles from evaporated respiratory secretions called droplet nuclei.

These are small less 5 um particles that may remain suspended in the air for long periods and me be widely disperse by air currents.

The measles can live in the air for two hours after an infected person leaves the room. People can also get measles if they have direct contact with fluid from the nose or mouth of an infected person.

Measles virus usually causes no disease symptoms until about ten days after infection. This period of ‘silence’ results because the innate immune system deals so effectively with the initial measles attack that few airway cells are infected and little new virus is produced.
How is measles transmitted? 

Mumps (Epidemic Parotitis)

Mumps (Epidemic Parotitis)
Mumps was recognized as a distinct clinical entity by the ancients. In ‘Of the Epidemics’, Hippocrates described mumps as follows: ‘Swellings appeared about the ears in many on either side, and in the greatest number on both sides…. inflammations with pains seized sometimes one of the testicles, and sometimes both.’

Mumps was not considered a serious disease, although surprisingly large literature has appeared on the subject.

Contrary to measles, varicella, and pertussis, mumps is not a highly contagious disease, rarely afflicting infants. The majority of cases occur between five and ten years of age and 30 to 40 percent of the cases have inapparent infections.

Complications include testicular swelling and encephalitis, usually not succeeded by any residuals. Contrary to belief, mumps is rarely a cause of male sterility.

Because mumps is not a highly contagious disease, many children escape infection. Under certain circumstances epidemics of the disease occur among adults.
Mumps (Epidemic Parotitis)