Measles is caused by a virus. This virus is very highly contagious. People can transmit the virus to others through the air, for example by coughing or sneezing. You can get measles if you have not had the disease before, or if you have not been vaccinated against measles. Very occasionally, a person who has been vaccinated against measles still gets an infection. If that happens, your illness will usually be less severe. If you have had measles before, you cannot get it again.
| How does the virus spread? | From coughing or sneezing |
|---|---|
| Common symptoms | Nasal cold, fever, spotted red rash on your face and torso, lower immunity (making it easier to get other infectious diseases) |
| Serious symptoms | Ear infection, pneumonia, encephalitis Very occasionally, years later, you can get a rare form of encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) |
| Which vaccinations protect against this disease? | MMR-vaccination |
How does measles spread?
If you have measles and you sneeze or cough, tiny droplets containing the virus are expelled into the air. If other people inhale the droplets, they could become infected.
Most children in the Netherlands have been vaccinated against measles. If you have had two vaccine doses, you are 99% protected. If you have had measles before, you cannot usually get it again. Very occasionally, a person who has been vaccinated against measles still gets an infection. This is because the vaccination is less effective in 1% of people. If you do still get measles, your illness will usually be less severe.
Measles outbreaks do occur now and then, especially in groups with lower vaccination coverage or no vaccination at all.
Protection against measles
Vaccination can protect you against measles. Read more about vaccination against measles, or read how vaccination works.
Video's
Video: What is measles (Dutch)
Mazelen is een zeer besmettelijke vlekjesziekte.
Je krijgt de ziekte van iemand die besmet is met het mazelenvirus.
Dit virus zit in de neus en de keel.
Door hoesten, niezen en praten kan het virus zich via de lucht verspreiden.
Mazelen begint met koorts, snotteren en hoesten.
Na drie tot zeven dagen komen er vlekjes achter je oren en later over je hele lichaam.
Je krijgt koorts en je kunt flink ziek worden.
Gelukkig geneest mazelen meestal vanzelf en zijn medicijnen niet nodig.
Word je toch ernstiger ziek, dan kun je een long- of hersenontsteking krijgen.
Hier kun je zelfs aan doodgaan.
In Nederland zijn de meeste kinderen inge‘nt tegen mazelen.
Ze krijgen twee prikken, met 14 maanden en met drie jaar.
Meer weten? Kijk op RIVM.nl/mazelen
Beeld: logo Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu
In onze infographic over mazelen vind je overzichtelijke informatie over de verschijnselen van mazelen.