What happens when an adult gets measles, smallpox, rubella, mumps?

In Poland, there are about 400 thousand. diseases typical of childhood. Smallpox, measles, rubella and mumps are diseases that can have dangerous consequences in adulthood.

1. Measles causes neurological complications: encephalitis and subacute sclerosing encephalitis
2. Complications may appear up to 10 years after infection with the measles virus
3. Smallpox is especially dangerous for women in advanced pregnancy, up to the 20th week of pregnancy, the fetus may die or be damaged.
4. If a man develops mumps in adulthood, he may become infertile
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6. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Children’s diseases in adults

Viruses that cause infectious diseases such as smallpox, mumps and rubella have a much worse effect on the body of an adult than a child. Studies show that infections are milder in patients under the age of 14 than in adults. Unfortunately, the risk of complications increases with age. Interestingly, in adults, childhood diseases have an atypical course, which makes correct diagnosis more difficult.

It is true that the calendar of compulsory vaccinations includes vaccines for most infectious diseases, but it must be remembered that the acquired immunity decreases over the years. Especially if one of the vaccine components is an allergen for the patient – this weakens the effect of the preparation. However, in the group at risk of measles, smallpox, rubella and mumps, there are mainly those who were not vaccinated in their childhood and did not develop these diseases.

Further part below the video.

Measles in adults. One in a thousand adults die from complications of measles

Measles in children is a serious disease, but it is more severe in adults. On average, half of those suffering from measles are more severe. Among adults, respiratory complications with pneumonia are the most common. It can be primary, caused by measles virus, or secondary, caused by bacteria, most often pneumococci and staphylococci. Pneumonia is the most important cause of death in measles.

Complications of measles can be dangerous to your health: research shows that as much as 30 percent illnesses are complicated. Adults over 20 years of age are the most vulnerable, especially when they struggle with immunodeficiencies. There is a risk of miscarriage in pregnant women.

The most common complications of measles include otitis media, which often leads to hearing loss.

Another side effect seen in adult patients is neurological complications. Encephalitis occurs in about 1 in 1-2 thousand people. measles cases. The most dangerous complication, however, is subacute sclerosing encephalitis. It is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system caused by persistent infection with the measles virus. It manifests itself with progressive mental and motor disorders that begin an average of 7-10 years after infection with the measles virus and irreversibly lead to coma and death.

Measles in adults. What are the symptoms?

Measles infection occurs through inhalation, through contact with the secretions of the respiratory tract of patients during coughing and sneezing. Measles is one of the most contagious viral diseases – after contact with a sick person, more than 90% are ill. susceptible to infection.

The symptoms of measles are typical: conjunctivitis, photophobia, rhinitis, dry barking, metallic cough, and white or blue-white spots surrounded by erythema that are located on the oral mucosa. Patients complain of malaise, weakness, sore throat and headache, high fever – even up to 40 degrees C.

Over time, the changes in the body turn into a red, confluent, maculopapular rash that begins behind the ears, descending on the face, neck, torso, and limbs. After about five days, the temperature drops and the rash starts to peel. The treatment is symptomatic: antipyretic and analgesic drugs, and antibiotics are required in bacterial pneumonia.

The effects of smallpox in adults: smallpox encephalitis

If an adult has avoided childhood chickenpox and has not been vaccinated against it, he or she can get the disease regardless of age.

Smallpox is very contagious – around 90% of people get sick after contact with a sick person. people. The pox virus is transmitted by droplets and by air, up to several dozen meters. The airway secretions and the skin eruptions in the form of bubbles are contagious. 2-3 weeks pass from infection to symptoms.

Complications in the course of smallpox are inflammation of the lymph nodes, middle ear or brain. Smallpox encephalitis is very severe, with altered consciousness and convulsions. As much as 30 percent. cases end in death, in approx. 15% the sick leaves permanent neurological damage: paresis, paralysis of cranial nerves, epilepsy, behavioral disorders, memory problems.

Smallpox dangerous to pregnant women

Smallpox is dangerous for pregnant women, up to the 20th week of pregnancy, the fetus may die or damage the fetus in the form of congenital pox syndrome. There is also a risk that the baby will develop shingles early in life.

The initial symptoms are increased temperature and malaise. There are small red spots that turn into lumps and these turn into fluid-filled blisters. When they dry out, they turn into pimples with crusts. The eruptions are itchy and present all over the body. Scratched – they leave scars. In adults, the disease appears as a loss of appetite and high fever. A common complication is pox pneumonia, which is characterized by diffuse lesions in both lungs leading to respiratory failure.

During the disease, antipyretics are administered to relieve itching, compresses with a XNUMX% water solution of gentian or liquid powder. It is also recommended to take a bath in disinfecting liquids with potassium permanganate.

Rubella in adults

It is spread by droplets, and the symptoms initially indicate a cold. Pale pink, lumpy eruptions appear on the skin, which extend from the face to the entire body. They are accompanied by severe itching and high fever. There may be a sore throat, swollen glands in the neck and behind the ears. After a few days, the rash disappears.

The disease in adults is usually mild. In young women, complications of rubella are arthritis of the hands and knees and thrombocytopenic haemorrhagic diathesis. It is manifested by a low number of blood platelets in the blood count and the risk of spontaneous bleeding from the nose or gums.

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Rubella can cause very serious fetal malformations in pregnant women: damage to hearing, vision, brain and heart. Rubella passes by itself. It is recommended to lower the fever and rest.

Mumps in adults

Mumps virus infection is most common in winter and early spring, usually through droplets or saliva. The first symptoms appear about 18 days after infection.

The disease is accompanied by a high fever and swelling of the parotid gland, usually on one side of the face. Difficulty biting and swallowing, weakness, headaches and muscle aches appear.

As men age, the risk of complications increases: as many as one in three suffer from inflammation of one or both testicles. Symptoms – enlargement, severe pain in the testicle radiating to the perineum and loins, redness of the scrotum – most often appear at the end of the first week of mumps. In many cases, this ends in infertility.

In about 10 percent. In women, the complication is inflammation of the ovaries, the virus can also affect the middle ear, joints and pancreas. Pancreatitis appears a few weeks after the swelling of the salivary glands, it can be recognized by the sharp abdominal pain radiating to the back, fever, nausea and vomiting. Less common are meningitis and encephalitis with a mild course and without permanent damage, inflammation of the thyroid gland, heart muscle or facial nerve, and deafness. When infection occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy, there is a risk of miscarriage.

Treatment is to lower the fever. In testicular and arthritis, steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are administered.

Scarlet fever in adults

Scarlet fever is caused by the streptococcal bacteria. Since there are three types of bacterial toxin, it is assumed that you can get scarlet fever three times. We become infected with scarlet fever through direct contact with a sick person.

The disease is diagnosed by a sharp malaise, sore throat and high fever, which may indicate strep throat. However, a rash appears in the bends of the joints, groin, torso and buttocks, and on the cheeks there is an erythema covered with white coating. The tongue turns a raspberry color. The skin on the hands and feet then peels off.

In severe cases, the spleen and liver increase and the work of the blood system is disturbed. Complication of scarlet fever is inflammation of the heart muscle, endocardium, lymph nodes, middle ear, and kidneys and joints. Streptococcal arthritis often appears. Treatment requires antibiotic therapy.

Whooping cough in adults

Infection with whooping cough occurs through droplets. After contact with a sick person becomes infected as much as 80 percent. people. Bacteria attack the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and travel to the bronchi and lungs.

1. See also: Doctor warns: most Poles have no immunity to whooping cough

Initially, whooping cough symptoms resemble a runny nosebut there is weakness, anorexia, coughing fits, fever and attacks of breathlessness. Sometimes the only symptom of infection is a recurrent dry cough, which is why there are problems with the diagnosis. That is why it is worth doing serological tests. Whooping cough, also called whooping cough, is a seasonal disease, most often it occurs from fall to early spring.

If left untreated, it can lead to complications: pneumonia, bronchitis, inflammation of the inner ear, pleural empyema, and emphysema. It damages eyesight, hearing and brain tissue.

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