What Is Measles?

Measles or rubeola is an infectious disease caused by a virus. It spreads easily person to person, causes red blotchy rash along with other symptoms.

*Health information sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. co-pay.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.

Measles is an infectious disease caused by a virus. It spreads easily from person to person. It causes a blotchy red rash. The rash often starts on the head and moves down the body. Other symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Runny nose
  • Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
  • Feeling achy and run down
  • Tiny white spots inside the mouth

Sometimes measles can lead to serious problems. There is no treatment for measles, but the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine can prevent it.

"German measles", also known as rubella, is a completely different illness.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Get the facts on Measles.

Sign up for our newsletter to get expert tips on condition management and prescription savings.