Measles

Measles remains a leading cause of death among young children, despite the availability of a
safe and effective vaccine for the past 40 years. More than half a million people, the majority
of them children, died from measles in 2003 (the last year for which figures are available).
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known. Almost all non-immune children
contract measles if exposed to the virus. Measles is an acute viral illness caused by a virus in
the paramyxovirus family. As a respiratory disease, measles virus normally grows in the cells
that line the back of the throat and in the cells that line the lungs. Measles is a human
disease with no known animal reservoir.
The first sign of infection is usually high fever which begins approximately 10 to 12 days after
exposure and lasts one to seven days. During this initial stage, the patient may develop
coryza (runny nose), cough, red and watery eyes and small white spots inside the cheeks.
After several days, a rash develops, usually on the face and upper neck. Over a period of
about three days, the rash proceeds downward, eventually reaching the hands and feet. The
rash lasts for five to six days, then fades. The rash occurs, on average, at day 14 after
exposure to the virus, with a range of 7 to 18 days.
Measles is often an unpleasant mild or moderately severe illness. Severe measles is
particularly likely in poorly nourished young children, especially those who do not receive
sufficient vitamin A, or whose immune systems have been weakened by HIV/AIDS or other
diseases.
Children usually do not die directly of measles, but from its complications. Complications are
more common in children under the age of five or adults over the age of 20.
The most serious complications include blindness, encephalitis (a dangerous infection of the
brain causing inflammation), severe diarrhoea (possibly leading to dehydration), ear
infections and severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia, which is the most common
cause of death associated with measles. Encephalitis is estimated to occur in 1/1000 cases,
while otitis media (middle ear infection) is reported in 5-15% of cases and pneumonia in 510% of cases. The case fatality rate in developing countries is generally in the range of 1 to
5%, but may be as high as 25% in populations with high levels of malnutrition and poor
access to health care. People who recover from measles are immune for the rest of their
lives.
Un-immunized persons, especially young children, are at highest risk for measles and its
complications, including death. Measles can also affect un-immunized older children,
adolescents and young adults. All people who have not been immunized with vaccine or who
have not acquired immunity through having experienced the disease can become infected.
Measles can be particularly deadly in countries experiencing or recovering from war, civil
strife or natural disasters. Infection rates soar because damage to infrastructure and health
services interrupts routine immunization and overcrowding in camps for refugees and
internally displaced persons greatly increases the risk of infection.
The highly contagious measles virus is spread by airborne droplets (circulating as a result of
coughing and sneezing), close personal contact or direct contact with nasal or throat
secretions of infected persons. Consequently, measles tends to occur as epidemics which may
cause many deaths, especially among young malnourished children.

The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours.
It can be transmitted by an infected individual from four days prior to the onset of the rash to
four days after the onset. If one person has the disease, a high proportion of their susceptible
close contacts will also become infected with the measles virus.
Severe complications from measles can be avoided through proper clinical management.
General nutritional support and the treatment of dehydration with oral rehydration solution
are necessary. Antibiotics should be prescribed for treating eye and ear infections and
pneumonia. To improve survival, it is important that children with measles receive adequate
nutrition and fluids.
All children in developing countries diagnosed with measles should receive two doses of
vitamin A supplements given 24 hours apart. Giving vitamin A at the time of diagnosis can
help prevent eye damage and blindness. Moreover, vitamin A supplementation has been
shown to reduce the number of deaths from measles by 50%.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN SPANISH:

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What kind of disease is measles? Where does the virus normally grow?
Which are its signs and symptoms?
Who does severe measles more commonly attack?
Which are measles most common complications?
Who is at risk of getting this disease?
How is the virus spread?
How long can the virus remain active and contagious?
How can severe complications be avoided?
When are antibiotics prescribed?
How can the supplements of vitamin A be helpful?

Respuestas
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El sarampin es una enfermedad causada por un virus de la familia

paramixovirus.
El virus del sarampin es cultivado en clulas que rodean el dorso
de la garganta y clulas que rondean el pulmn
Los sntomas que desarrolla son primariamente fiebre alta, coriza,
tos, ojos rojos y llorosos y una pequea mancha blanca en el interior
de la mejilla, erupcin (alrededor de la cara y por arriba del cuello).
Las complicaciones mas comunes del sarampin son: ceguera,
encefalitis diarrea serosa (con posible deshidratacion) infeccin del
odo medio e infecciones respiratorias severas (tal como la
pneumonia).

11 W1
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How long is the Street? que tan larga es la calle?
How long will last the rain cuanto va a durar esta lluvia?0

p.avila.9@hotmail.com

What is syphilis?

How is syphilis transmitted?

Which are the symptoms in the first and second stages?

Describe the characteristic rash of secondary syphilis.

How is syphilis diagnosed?

How is syphilis treated?

What are the effects of syphilis in pregnant women?

What is neurosyphilis? Who can get it?

How can syphilis be prevented?

10 What research is being carried out on syphilis?

1-QUE ES LA SIFILIS?
La sfilis es una infeccin de transmisin sexual, es responsable por devastadoras epidemia.
Esto es causado por una batera llamada treponema pallidum.
2-como es transmitida la sfilis?
La sfilis es transmitida casi siempre por contacto sexul con una persona infectada.
Esto tambin puede pasar atraves de una separacin de otras partes de la piel sobre otras partes del
cuerpo.
3-cuales son los sntomas en el 1 y 2 estadio?
1 estadio: sntomas caracteristicos es la apariciencia de la ulcera, llamada chancre. Esta
es usualmente firme, redonda, pequea y sin dolor.

2estadio: sntomas caracteristicos son: erupcin de la piel y lesiones de la membrana

mucosa.
Esta erupcin presenta los siguientes sntomas: fiebre, glandula linftica inchada, dolor de
garganta, mancha del cabello perdido, dolor de cabeza, perdida de peso, dolor muscular
continuo y fatiga.

4- caractersticas de la erupcin del 2 estadio de la sfilis.

Las caractersticas son:
Se desarrolla en una o mas reas del cuerpo
No causa picazn
Puede aparecer como una ulcera del 1 estadio cicatrizando o varias semanas despus el
chancre ha cicatrizado.

Puede aparecer como aspero, rojo, o mancha pardo rojiso sobre ambas palmas de las
manos y en lo profundo de los pies.

5- como es dignosticada la sfilis?

Hay 3 maneras para diagnosticar sfilis:
Reconociendo los signos y sntomas
Examinando una muestra de sangre
Identificando la bacteria de la sfilis por medio del microscopio.
6- como es tratada la sfilis?
Los doctores usualmente tratan pacientes con sifis con penicilina dado por la infeccin. Ellos usan
otros antibiticos para pacientes alrgicos a la penicilina.
Es importante que las personas sean tratadas por sfilis tratada teniendo peridicos pruebas de
sangre para controlar que el agente infeccioso haya sido destruido por completo.
7-cuales son los efectos en una mujer embarazada?
Los efectos en mujeres embarazadas puede ser aborto entre 25-50 % de las mujeres actualmente
infecctadas con sfilis.
Entre un 40-70% de mujeres con sfilis van a dar a luz a un nio infecctado con sfilis.
8- que es la neurosifilis? Quien la puede adquirir?
La neurosifilis se produce cuando la bacteria de la sfilis invade el sistema nervioso durante el
estadio temprano de la infeccin.