Is there a treatment or cure for measles?

There is no approved specific antiviral drug for measles. Treatment is supportive — meaning it aims to reduce symptoms and prevent complications rather than directly kill the virus. Key elements include: adequate hydration, fever management with acetaminophen or ibuprofen (never aspirin in children), and vitamin A supplementation — WHO recommends two high-dose vitamin A doses for all children with measles, as it has been shown to significantly reduce measles mortality and the severity of complications including blindness and pneumonia. Secondary bacterial infections (the most common cause of measles-related deaths in both children and adults) are treated with appropriate antibiotics. Severe pneumonia and measles encephalitis require hospitalization and may need intensive care. The best 'treatment' remains prevention: two doses of MMR vaccine before exposure provide lifelong protection in ~97% of recipients.