Diagnosing Measles

Before diagnosing measles, your doctor will ask about your medical history and will also perform a physical exam to check for symptoms of measles. The doctor may also order a blood test to help in making a diagnosis. Before diagnosing measles, the doctor will consider other possible conditions that share similar symptoms.

Measles Disease

An Overview of Diagnosing Measles

In order to make a measles diagnosis, the doctor will ask a number of questions (medical history), including questions about:

Symptoms
Current medical conditions
Current medications
Family history of medical conditions.

The doctor will also perform a physical exam to look for signs or symptoms of measles. Diagnosing measles can often be done just based on a person's symptoms and the findings of the physical exam. If the doctor is unsure, he or she may order a blood test to look for antibodies to the measles virus, or a throat culture to look for the virus itself.

Diagnosing Measles or Other Medical Conditions

Several other medical conditions can have signs or symptoms that are similar to measles. The doctor will consider these conditions before diagnosing measles. Some of these conditions include:

German measles (rubella)
Mononucleosis (mono)
Toxoplasmosis (infection in tissues of the body)
Syphilis (a sexually transmitted disease)
Scarlet fever
Reaction to medications
Kawasaki syndrome (disease in the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract).