24.4.3 Measles:  

It is also an acute disease of infants and children. The virus commonly causes a rash over the body with a high fever, occasionally conjunctivitis and pneumonia. In severe form of the disease virus may cause inflammation and pathological condition in the brain. Like Mumps virus only one serotype exists for Measles virus. Measles is also a systemic infection spread by dissemination of the virus through blood. Acute disease affects the lymphatic and respiratory systems while persistence of the virus in children leads to subacute sclerosing panencephalitis . Virus enters the body via the oropharyngeal route, multiplies locally within the lymphatic system, and spreads to the mucosal surface of respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous system. Clinically, respiratory symptoms and fever are evident during the early stages which on later changes to a rash during the eruptive phase. Rash over the body and head are sometimes called as Koplik's spots . They are ulcerated mucosal lesions characterized by necrosis and infiltration of neutrophils, and are the pathognomonic (hallmark and unique to measles) signs of the measles. Secondary infection by bacteria may sometimes complicate the situation and even turn worse in untreated condition.

 

24.4.4 Respiratory Syncytial virus :

Respiratory Syncytial virus is one of the leading causes of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants under one year of age. The viruses produce a characteristic syncytia formation in the respiratory epithelium cells; hence the name is given as respiratory syncytial virus. The virus starts its infection in the upper or lower respiratory tract infecting ciliated epithelium. Spread of the virus proceeds by cell fusion. Severe form of the disease may cause bronchiolitis, pneumonia, or croup in infants.

* Croup is sometimes called as barking cough and is characterized by swelling around the vocal cords. It usually associated with the inflammation of larynx, trachea, and bronchioles.