Health
How Measles Attacks an Unvaccinated Child
For a child who is not vaccinated against measles — one of the world’s most infectious viruses — no classroom, school bus or grocery store is safe. Nine out of 10 unvaccinated people exposed to an infected person will catch it, and once measles takes root, the virus can damage the lungs, kidneys and the brain.
With falling U.S. vaccination rates and outbreaks that have caused more than 580 cases and at least one death, health experts expect measles to infect hundreds or even thousands more across the nation. Here is how measles takes over the body.
Unlike viruses that require person-to-person contact, measles lingers in the air for up to two hours after the person carrying it has left the space.
A child can inhale virus-containing droplets in a room where another child — unknowingly infected with measles — has been studying or playing an hour earlier. The virus can enter her body through the lining of her nose or mouth, or when she’s rubbing her eyes.
During the subsequent 24 hours, the virus takes root by lodging in her nasopharynx cells in the upper part of the throat and starts spreading to her lungs.
Then, the virus takes over, multiplying inside the cells and building up an army for an attack.
Within a few days, the virus begins to spread to infect the nearby lymphoid tissues. About a week after the initial exposure, infected cells begin traveling to other organs throughout the body. (At this time, the immune system of a vaccinated child would recognize the virus and fight it off.)
Typically, during the replication and spread of the virus, the child does not feel sick. The average incubation period is about two weeks — though it can range from one to three. When the viral load has increased significantly, it moves to infect other cells of the lungs and eyes, making the child feel ill.
A couple of weeks after the unvaccinated child inhales the droplets, she starts feeling sick.
Children often first show signs of malaise and a fever, followed later by reddish, irritated eyes, a cough and a stuffy nose as the mucus membranes and nasal passages become inflamed.
Some children at this stage develop millimeter-wide, whitish-gray bumps on the inner lining of the cheeks, as far back as the molars. For some, the spots go undetected, or do not show up at all.
Then comes the characteristic feature: the breakout of a red rash, starting on the face and spreading down the neck, trunk, and extremities.
Many of these symptoms should resolve themselves. The rash can last up to a week, often fading along the same route it appeared. The cough can last for up to two weeks after the illness has resolved. But a fever lasting beyond the third or fourth day of the rash suggests that a complication could be developing — and that is where cases can become dangerous.
Even as the rash fades, the infection can spread to the lungs and other organs.
Children are typically brought to the hospital after having the body rash for several days. Most have low oxygen levels and are laboring to breathe and need support, said Dr. Summer Davies, who sees children at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, and has been treating measles cases there since the outbreak started in late January.
“A lot of families have kind of been surprised, like, ‘Oh, my child was fine, and then all of a sudden, they’re not,’ ” she said.
That mild disease evolves into a fever as high as 104 or 105 degrees for two, three or four days. Poor fluid intake, a sore throat and diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which over time can begin to threaten kidney function.
Young children are more at risk because of their smaller anatomy and their inability to articulate symptoms clearly, explained Dr. Lara Johnson, the chief medical officer of a group of Covenant hospitals in the area.
About one in 20 children with measles will develop pneumonia, an infection in the lungs; and severe cases can be fatal.
Dr. Davies said many children admitted to her hospital recently had cases of pneumonia caused by either the measles virus or by a second pathogen that attacked while their immune systems were weakened.
The 6-year-old girl who recently died of measles in Texas had a case of pneumonia that caused fluid to build up in her left lung, making it difficult for her to breathe, according to a video interview with her parents that was posted online. She was eventually sedated and intubated, but she became too sick to survive.
One of the hallmarks of measles is what researchers call “immune amnesia,” the temporary weakening of the immune system. Measles wipes the protection children have acquired from other infections, which leaves them susceptible to other infections for several months or even years.
Inflammation in the brain
About one in 1,000 children who contract measles will also develop encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain tissue, which can result in permanent damage.
For infants or children who are already immunocompromised, a condition called measles inclusion body encephalitis (or MIBE) occurs when the child cannot clear the infection. It can trigger mental changes and seizures, leading to a coma and death in most patients.
Another type, called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), is a degenerative condition that can occur up to a decade after a measles infection. Children often first show signs of behavior change and academic decline, followed by seizures, motor issues like poor coordination and balance, and eventually death. The mortality rate approaches 95 percent.
Erica Finkelstein-Parker, a mother in Pennsylvania who lost her 8-year-old child Emmalee to the condition, had not known that the girl had had measles before she had been adopted from India as a toddler. But she noticed one day that Emmalee was tripping and falling, slumping over to one side of her chair and struggling to lift her chin off her chest during dinner.
Doctors explained that there was no cure. Emmalee passed away about five months later.
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When people think about protecting their health, bone health often takes a back seat to more prominent concerns like cancer or heart disease.
But for women, bone density can become a real issue with age, as osteoporosis weakens bones and increases the risk of fractures.
Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a board-certified OB-GYN, certified menopause specialist and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, talked to Fox News Digital about the severity of this threat.
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“About 50% of women can expect to have an osteoporotic fracture before they die,” she said. “That is triple the rate of men.”
Osteoporosis is defined as a “bone disease that develops when bone mineral density and bone mass decreases or when the structure and strength of bone changes,” according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Fifty percent of women will experience an osteoporotic fracture by age 50, while only 20% of men will experience the same, according to Haver. (iStock)
The condition can cause the bones to become so weak and brittle that a fall or even mild stress, like coughing, can cause a break.
Haver, also founder of The ‘Pause Life, a health and wellness platform focused on supporting women through midlife changes, noted that the “downfall” after these fractures can be “pretty devastating.”
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Fractures can lead to disability, death and high medical costs, according to a blog post by Haver on The ‘Pause Life’s website.
Risks and warning signs
Haver emphasized that osteoporosis is a “largely preventable” disease.
“Paying attention to the lifestyle, the behaviors, possibly the medications that can prevent osteoporosis earlier in life, will really help stave off some of the loss of independence that women are suffering from as they age,” she told Fox News Digital.
The expert recommends engaging in weight-bearing exercise and resistance training to build bone density. (iStock)
The condition is more likely to occur in those who have hormone imbalances, have undergone gastrointestinal surgery, have low calcium intake or experience disordered eating, according to Haver and the Mayo Clinic. Those with a family history of osteoporosis may also face a higher risk.
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People who have taken corticosteroid medicines for conditions like seizures, gastric reflux, cancer and transplant rejection are more susceptible, as are those with celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney or liver disease, multiple myeloma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Although osteoporosis is sometimes referred to as a “silent disease,” which can progress without symptoms until a fracture occurs, there are a few subtle clues that may indicate “lower than normal” bone density, Haver said.
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These include loss of height, back pain, receding gums, and weak or brittle nails.
Those who are often sedentary may experience worsened symptoms. (iStock)
Osteoporosis can also be caused by certain unhealthy habits, such as being sedentary, consuming excessive alcohol and using tobacco.
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The Mayo Clinic reported, “People who spend a lot of time sitting have a higher risk of osteoporosis than do those who are more active.”
Haver agreed that staying physically active, while getting enough calcium and vitamin D through a healthy diet or supplementation, can help maintain healthy bone density.
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“Engage in weight-bearing exercise and resistance training, avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and talk to a doctor about any medications that may affect bone health,” she wrote in her blog post.
“Regular bone density testing may also be recommended for some individuals to monitor their bone health and identify any potential issues early on.”
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Cutting two simple things from her diet helped Melissa Joan Hart shed nearly 20 pounds, she revealed in a recent interview.
The actress, best known for her roles in “Clarissa Explains It All” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” lost about 18 pounds after cutting sugar and alcohol as part of what she described as a “longevity journey,” she told People earlier this month.
“I just wanted to feel better. It had nothing to do with losing weight,” Hart, 49, said at Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler’s Grammy viewing party Feb. 1 in Los Angeles.
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“I really didn’t think I could lose weight anymore, being in midlife and perimenopause.”
Hart shared details of her weight loss while attending Steven Tyler’s Grammy viewing party. (Robin L Marshall/Getty Images)
Weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is common, according to the Mayo Clinic, as hormonal changes, aging and lifestyle factors slow metabolism and shift fat toward the belly. But staying active, maintaining a healthy diet, limiting added sugars and alcohol and prioritizing sleep can help minimize weight gain in midlife, experts say.
Hart said her main focus was on improving how she felt, and it has worked.
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“I actually feel stronger and better than I have in a really long time,” she said.
Melissa Joan Hart says cutting sugar and alcohol helped her lose nearly 20 pounds. (Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Janie’s Fund)
Hart said it began by working out more intensely and paying closer attention to her lifestyle. In the process, she discovered intermittent fasting and decided to eliminate sugar and alcohol.
She added that giving up alcohol was an easy decision.
“I just don’t even enjoy drinking. So why bother?” Hart said. “So, I cut these things out of my life, and I started to feel better. And in doing that, I lost a lot of weight and kind of feel great.”
Cutting back on added sugar and alcohol can reduce excess calorie intake and lower the risk of weight gain, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, liver damage and certain cancers, while supporting better overall metabolic health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The actress said she began working out more intensely and paying closer attention to her lifestyle. (Chad Salvador/Variety via Getty Images)
Hart also shared that staying hydrated has been a challenge for her over the years, joking that her husband, musician Mark Wilkerson, notices her dislike for drinking water.
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“My husband says when I drink a glass of water, I make a face like it’s the most disgusting thing on earth,” she said. “I’m sipping on it, like, ‘Eww.’”
Hart, seen above in St. Lucia in 2024, said she “just wanted to feel better.” (John Parra/Getty Images for Sandals Resorts)
Instead, the mom of three said she often reaches for club soda with lime or tea.
“I’ll do hot tea, cold tea, green tea, peppermint tea — any kind of tea,” she said.
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Hart, who turns 50 in April, joins other celebrities who have recently credited cutting alcohol and other lifestyle changes for improved health and weight loss, according to reports.
More celebrities say they are cutting back on alcohol and sugar. (iStock)
Last year, Russell Crowe said cutting back on alcohol played a major role in his 57-pound transformation, and “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness has also spoken out about cutting down on booze and focusing on overall health.
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Country singer Jelly Roll has credited long-term wellness and mental health support for his dramatic weight loss, while Matt Damon recently said cutting certain foods, including gluten, helped him slim down for film roles.
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