The patient was urgently admitted to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in a state of obvious infection, electrolyte imbalance and severe digestive complications.
According to family members, about 10 days before the onset of the disease, the girl living in the same house contracted measles and was cured. However, the patient did not take preventive measures after close contact.
About 4 days before being hospitalized, the patient began to have a high fever from 38.5 to 39 degrees Celsius. Thinking he only had a common fever, the patient bought fever-reducing medicine to treat at home. However, after 3 days, the condition did not improve but became more severe with symptoms of dry cough, sore throat, fatigue and frequent vomiting.
The measles rash then appeared from the face and then spread throughout the body, accompanied by diarrhea more than 10 times a day. The patient was taken to a provincial hospital and diagnosed with measles. However, after 4 days of treatment, the symptoms did not subside, so she was transferred to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
Here, the patient was admitted to the hospital in a state of continuous high fever from 39 to 40 degrees Celsius, measles rash all over the body at the 8th day, severe cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath. The patient also had inflammation and bleeding of the conjunctiva of both eyes, vomiting 3 to 4 times a day, mild abdominal distension, diarrhea. Test results showed that the CRP inflammatory index increased to 43.8 mg/L and was positive for the measles virus.
According to Dr. Do Thi Tien, Department of Viruses - Parasitology, this is a typical measles case in adults but progresses severely due to digestive complications, causing electrolyte disorders, and also respiratory complications. Patients need to be actively treated to control respiratory infections and prevent superinfection.
The patient was treated with fever-reducing drugs, rehydration and electrolytes via intravenous infusion combined with oral administration, using antibiotics to control respiratory infections, and at the same time supporting digestion and nutrition. After 3 days of treatment, the patient's condition improved significantly: fever and diarrhea were controlled, respiratory symptoms gradually decreased, coughing and shortness of breath decreased, he became more alert and ate better. Currently, the patient is in a recovery phase.
In addition to the above case, the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases is currently continuing to treat 2 other measles patients, including 1 case that has not been vaccinated against the disease.
Doctor Nguyen Nguyen Huyen, Director of the Center for Epidemic Prevention and Control, Central Tropical Diseases Hospital, emphasized that vaccination is still the most effective disease prevention measure. Adults with unclear vaccination history need to proactively get vaccinated to protect their health and the community.
In particular, women should complete measles vaccination at least 3 months before pregnancy to protect both mother and child.
According to doctors' recommendations, when contacting people with measles, especially young children, people need to implement appropriate isolation and closely monitor their health. If symptoms such as high fever, cough, conjunctivitis, rash appear, they need to go to specialized medical facilities for diagnosis and timely treatment.
