Ohio - The Center for Disease Control continues to monitor the measles outbreak which so far has not impacted Ohio.

What about measles and adults? Here's what adults need to know about avoiding the contagious virus.

The first thing health officials stress is that measles is 100 percent preventable. So what should adults do if they don't have immunization records and are unsure if they are protected from measles.

"If you're not sure, if you don't have an immunization record probably the best route to go is just get the vaccine," said Sandra Swann the Director of Nursing for the Trumbull County Health District.

You could get a blood test to check if you're immune, but the vaccine is less invasive and less costly.  The early symptoms of measles are a high fever, cough, runny nose and redness of the eyes.  Followed by a rash.

"You get a rash that starts on the head then it goes to the trunk of the body and it goes to the feet, a really red rash," explained Anthea Mickens, Nursing Director with the Youngstown Health Department.
Measles can caused other complications in adults including pneumonia, swelling of the brain and hearing loss.Adults are 10 times more likely to be hospitalized.  

There is no specific treatment for measles. "Take Tylenol, drink plenty of fluids, get some rest and feel better," Mickens said. 

The experts say the best chance of avoiding measles is having the MMR vaccine.

"The measles component in that vaccine has a 96 to 98 percent efficacy,  so if you get the vaccine you are protected," Swann said. 

The center for disease control says that areas with vaccination rates of 90 to 95 percent are generally enough to prevent an outbreak.

The good news is Ohio has over 97 percent coverage of the measles vaccine.