Children with measles usually have to spend about 5 days in bed if there are no serious complications and may be off school for about 10 days.

Adults who catch measles are likely to be ill for longer.

Although most people will get over measles without too many problems, a significant number will go on to develop serious complications.

The numbers in the brackets indicate how common each complication is. These complication rates still apply today.

• Ear infection (1 in 20)
• Pneumonia/bronchitis (1 in 25)
• Convulsion (1 in 200)
• Diarrhoea (1 in 6)
• Hospital admission (1 in 100)
• Meningitis/encephalitis (1 in 1,000)
• Late onset: SSPE(Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare, degenerative neurological condition that can develop some years after natural measles infection and causes brain damage and death.The risk is greatest in those who were infected at a young age.The average interval from measles infection to onset of SSPE is around 8 years. Death invariably follows.Since the introduction of live attenuated measles vaccine in the 1960s, the incidence of SSPE has dramatically decreased and we expect the death rate from SSPE to fall even further.Measles vaccine directly protects against SSPE.) (1 in 8,000 children under 2 years old)
• Death (1 in 2,500-5,000)