Viruses transmitted through inhalation includes: Varicella zoster virus, Measles viruses,Mumps virus, Rubella virus, Respiratory syncytial virus, Influenza virus

Measles is caused by infection with the rubeola virus(another name of measles virus), a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus.

The virus lives in the mucus of the nose and throat of an infected child or adult. The infected person is contagious for four days before the rash appears, and continues so for about four to five days afterwards.

The measles virus is the cause of measles, an infection of the respiratory system.

Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a generalized, maculopapular, erythematous rash.

The virus is highly contagious and is spread by coughing and sneezing(chafya) via close personal contact or direct contact with secretions

Characteristic and Morphology

Measles viruses belong to the family Paramyxoviridae

Measles viruses are enveloped with helical nucleocapsid

Possess one piece of single-stranded, RNA

The envelope is covered with spikes which contain hemaglutinin, neuraminidase, or fusion protein that causes cell fusion and haemolysis

Life Cycle of the Measles Virus. Figure 2. This graphic depicts the basic process of replication in a measles-infected host cell. The Hemagglutinin (H) and Fusion (F) proteins mediate transmission of the measles virus into host cells in the human respiratory tract (3)

The Hemagglutinin (H) and Fusion (F) proteins mediate transmission of the measles virus into host cells in the human respiratory tract (3). The virus is absorbed into the host cell when Hemagglutinin proteins bind to the CD46 and CD150 host cellular receptors (1,3). Once uncoated in the host cell, RNA polymerase transcribes the viral RNA genome into mRNA, which then undergoes translation in order to manufacture viral proteins (1). These viral proteins function to formulate new helical capsids for the replication of the virus, which eventually leaves the host cell through the process of budding (1

Although the transmission of the virus initially infects the upper respiratory tract, replication of the virus in epithelial cells can spread the virus to the lymph nodes and further replication in the lymphatic system can spread the virus to other organs including the liver, skin, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract (3). The pathogen infects human epithelial cells, endothelial cells and macrophages (3). The virus’s mode of infection is airborne droplets and can be transmitted by exposure to someone infected with this pathogen (3). The measles is exceedingly infectious and transmitted by respiratory fluid secretions most commonly from sneezing or coughing (1).

Measles

Laboratory Diagnosis

Specimen

Nasal scrapings

Blood sample

Technique

Tissue culture

Hemaglutination test

No antiviral therapy is available

Measles vaccine

Measles vaccine is a vaccine that is very effective at preventing measles. After one dose 85% of children nine months of age and 95% over twelve months of age are immune.

Viruses transmitted through inhalation includes: Varicella zoster viruses, Measles viruses, Mumps virus, Rubella virus, Respiratory syncytial virus, Influenza virus.

Paramyxoviruses including the measles and mumps have fusion (F), matrix polymerase and nucleocapsid proteins necessary for penetration and spread of the viruses in the host.

The internal nucleocapsid protein of mumps virus has S (soluble) antigen detected in the complement fixation test used for laboratory diagnosis.

What is measles?

What are characteristics of measles viruses?

What are the diseases caused by Varicella, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella viruses?

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