Measles is a highly contagious infection caused by a virus known as Morbillivirus. It causes a skin rash, which usually begins on the face and the spreads down to cover the entire body, and flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, and runny nose.
Measles can be a severe illness – serious complications are much more common in young children (under 5 years of age), in the chronically ill and in adults. 60% of deaths from measles are caused by the development of pneumonia, especially in the young, and from encephalitis (brain swelling), particularly in adults. Measles during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, premature labour, and/or babies may have a low birth weight. In a small number of cases, measles may also be fatal.
1. Australian Government Department of Health. The Australian Immunisation Handbook. Measles. Available at: https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/vaccine-preventable-diseases/measles (accessed December 2021).
2. NSW Government. Measles Fact Sheet. Available at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Factsheets/measles.pdf (accessed December 2021).
3. Victoria State Government. Better Health Channel. Measles. Available at: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/measles?viewAsPdf=true (accessed December 2021).
8. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance. Measles vaccines for Australians. Available at: http://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2019-07/Measles%20vaccines%20for%20Australians%20fact%20sheet_July%202019.pdf (accessed December 2021).
MAT-AU-2102479 Date of preparation January 2022
Show All
By clicking on this link, you will be leaving this Sanofi hosted website, and depending on the link, will be redirected to either another Sanofi website (for example, to view the Sanofi Privacy Policy) or an independent third party website which is typically not a Sanofi controlled website and may not be located in Australia (“Third Party Website”).
Use of and access to any Third Party Site is subject to the terms, limitations and conditions set by the Third Party Site producer and applicable laws.
Sanofi does not generally develop or maintain Third Party Sites, nor does it necessarily control those sites availability or what information is contained on those sites in any given instance and makes no representation in relation to those sites to the maximum extent permitted under any applicable laws, regulations or codes.
Any information that you access via a Third Party Site, may not comply with the Australian regulatory requirements. Further information relevant to the Australian environment is available from Sanofi or via the Product Information.