Red spots with a bluish center are most likely to indicate which disease?

• A. Measles
• B. Chickenpox
• C. Rubella
• D. Roseola

Answer: (A)

Bluish-centered spots in the mouth are Koplik spots, tiny bluish-white lesions on the buccal mucosa that appear early in measles infection. They are a distinctive clue that helps identify measles before the characteristic widespread red rash develops. Measles typically also causes fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, with a later maculopapular rash that starts on the face and spreads downward. The other diseases present with different skin findings—chickenpox shows vesicles in various stages on the skin, rubella usually causes a milder pink rash, and roseola features a high fever that then gives way to a pink rash. So the presence of Koplik spots makes measles the best answer.