Measles Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Selina SP Chen, MD, MPH; Chief Editor: Russell W Steele, MD   more...
 
Updated: Oct 3, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

The diagnosis of measles is usually determined from the classic clinical picture, including the classic triad of cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis; the pathognomonic Koplik spots; and the characteristic cephalocaudal progression of the morbilliform exanthem.

It is worthwhile to be mindful of the syndrome known as atypical measles, which has been described in individuals who were infected with wild measles virus several years after immunization with a killed measles vaccine (a vaccine used in the United States from 1963-1967). This syndrome tends to be more prolonged and severe than regular measles and is marked by a prolonged high fever, pneumonitis, and a rash that begins peripherally and may be urticarial, maculopapular, hemorrhagic, and/or vesicular.

The assumed pathogenesis of atypical measles is hypersensitivity to measles virus in a partially immune host. Laboratory tests reveal a very low measles antibody titer early in the course of the disease, followed soon thereafter by the appearance of an extremely high measles immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titer (eg, 1:1,000,000) in the serum.

Other problems to be considered include the following:

  • Dengue
  • Serum sickness
  • Syphilis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Toxic shock syndrome

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Selina SP Chen, MD, MPH  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii; Internal Medicine and Pediatric Hospitalist, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children; Internal Medicine Hospitalist, Straub Clinic and Hospital; Electronic Medical Record Physician Liaison and Trainer

Selina SP Chen, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and Society of Hospital Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Pamela L Dyne, MD  Professor of Clinical Medicine/Emergency Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine; Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center

Pamela L Dyne, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Glenn Fennelly, MD, MPH  Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, Lewis M Fraad Department of Pediatrics, Jacobi Medical Center; Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Glenn Fennelly, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Heather Kesler DeVore, MD  Assistant Professor, Clinical Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Georgetown University Hospital and Washington Hospital Center

Heather Kesler DeVore, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Emergency Medicine Residents Association and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

James W Patterson, MD  Professor of Pathology and Dermatology, Director of Dermatopathology, University of Virginia Medical Center

James W Patterson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, American Society of Dermatopathology, Royal Society of Medicine, Society for Investigative Dermatology, and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Stacy Sawtelle, MD  Clinical Instructor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Gina A Taylor, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Attending Dermatologist and Dermatopathologist, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center; Director of Dermatology Service, Attending Dermatologist, Kings County Hospital Center

Gina A Taylor, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Michael J Wells, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine

Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Garry Wilkes  MBBS, FACEM, Director of Emergency Medicine, Calvary Hospital, Canberra, ACT; Adjunct Associate Professor, Edith Cowan University; Clinical Associate Professor, Rural Clinical School, University of Western Australia

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Grace M Young, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland Medical Center

Grace M Young, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Leonard R Krilov, MD  Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and International Adoption, Vice Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Professor of Pediatrics, Winthrop University Hospital

Leonard R Krilov, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Pediatric Society, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Medimmune Grant/research funds Cliinical trials; Medimmune Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Medimmune Consulting fee Consulting

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Joseph Domachowske, MD  Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, State University of New York Upstate Medical University

Joseph Domachowske, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Russell W Steele, MD  Head, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Ochsner Children's Health Center; Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine

Russell W Steele, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Immunologists, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Louisiana State Medical Society, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of Medscape Reference gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous authors Paul Krusinski, MD, and Melissa Burnett, MD, to the development and writing of a source article.

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Koplik spots in measles. Photograph courtesy of World Health Organization.
Child with measles. Photograph courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Enanthem of measles (Koplik spots)
Measles conjunctivitis
Face of boy with measles
Morbilliform rash
 
 
 
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