What is the difference between measles and chickenpox?
Recently, cases of measles and chickenpox have increased in some areas, causing public concern. Although both diseases are common infectious diseases in children, there are significant differences in causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention. This article will compare the differences between measles and chickenpox in detail to help you better identify and deal with these two diseases.
1. Comparison of causes
| disease | Pathogen | Communication method |
|---|---|---|
| measles | Measles virus (RNA virus) | Droplet transmission, direct contact |
| Chickenpox | Varicella-zoster virus (DNA virus) | Droplet transmission, direct contact, airborne transmission |
2. Comparison of symptoms
| disease | incubation period | Typical symptoms | Rash characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| measles | 7-14 days | High fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, oral mucosal plaques (Kopi's spots) | Red maculopapular rash spreads from the head and face to the trunk and limbs, and can merge into sheets |
| Chickenpox | 10-21 days | Fever, fatigue, loss of appetite | Red macules → papules → blisters → scabs, appearing in batches, and rashes in different stages may exist at the same time |
3. Comparison of complications
| disease | Common complications | high risk groups |
|---|---|---|
| measles | Pneumonia, encephalitis, otitis media, diarrhea | Malnourished children and people with low immunity |
| Chickenpox | Skin infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, Reye syndrome | Adults, pregnant women, newborns, people with low immunity |
4. Comparison of treatment and prevention
| disease | Treatment | Precautions |
|---|---|---|
| measles | Symptomatic treatment (reducing fever, fluid rehydration), vitamin A supplementation | Get vaccinated against measles (MMR vaccine) |
| Chickenpox | Antiviral drugs (acyclovir), symptomatic treatment (antipruritic, antipyretic) | Get vaccinated against chickenpox and avoid contact with sick people |
5. Other important differences
1.contagious: Measles is extremely contagious, and more than 90% of unvaccinated people will develop the disease after exposure; chickenpox is highly contagious, but lower than measles.
2.lifelong immunity: Measles and chickenpox usually lead to long-lasting immunity after infection, but the chickenpox virus may lie dormant in the body and cause shingles in the future.
3.vaccine policy: The measles vaccine is part of my country’s immunization program and is free of charge; the chickenpox vaccine is mostly a self-funded vaccine.
Summary
Measles and chickenpox are two different infectious diseases. Although the symptoms include fever and rash, the pathogens, rash characteristics, complications and preventive measures are significantly different. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent these two diseases, especially the popularization of measles vaccine is crucial to controlling the epidemic. If relevant symptoms occur, you should seek medical treatment promptly and isolate yourself to avoid spreading it to others.
Recently, disease control departments in many places have reminded that spring is the season of high incidence of measles and chickenpox, and parents should pay attention to children's vaccination status and take protective measures. If suspected cases are found, people should avoid going to school or participating in group activities while sick to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
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