It can be complicated by ear infections or pneumonia in one out of every 10 children with measles. Measles can also be complicated by encephalitis, an infection of the brain, in about 1 out of every 1,000 children with measles. This often causes brain damage and mental retardation. Measles causes death in 1 in about 3,000 cases. Measles can also make a pregnant woman have a miscarriage or give birth prematurely.
Measles spreads very easily from person to person.
It is passed from an infected person to others through coughing, sneezing and even talking. Before measles vaccine was used widely, almost all children got measles. Now, because of the routine use of vaccine, very few children get measles in Canada. SSPE has almost completely disappeared. Mumps Mumps can cause fever, headaches and swelling of the cheeks and jaw.