Measles symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after contact. Beginning symptoms may include:
- High fever (may spike to more than 104°F)
- Cough
- Running nose
- Red, water eyes (conjunctivitis)
Between 2 to 3 days after the first symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside of the mouth. This is an early sign of measles infection.
Between 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms, the characteristic measles rash breaks out:
- Flat red spots may appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward on the body.
- Small raised bumps may appear on top of the flat red spots.
- When the rash appears, fever may spoke to more than 104° Fahrenheit.
For a full description of the symptoms and stages of measles, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.