About Measles

• Also known as rubeola.
• It is a respiratory disease caused by a virus.
• It can have potentially life-threatening complications.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers being the “most deadly” of all childhood rash and fever illnesses.
• The virus is easily spread through direct contact with infected mucus and saliva.
• The measles virus can live on surfaces for several hours.

Brief History

• In 1757, Francis Home, a Scottish physician, demonstrated that measles is caused by an infectious agent in the blood of patients.
• In 1912, measles became a nationally widespread disease in the United States.
• It required U.S. healthcare providers and laboratories to report all diagnosed cases.
• In the early appearance of the disease, an average of 6,000 measles-related deaths was reported each year.
• Before the vaccine became available, in 1963,  nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15 years of age.
• The CDC estimated 3 to 4 million people in the United States were infected each year.
• Each year, among the reported cases, an estimated 400 to 500 people died.
• 48,000 were hospitalized.
• 1,000 suffered encephalitis (swelling of the brain) from measles.

Signs and Symptoms 

• The first sign of measles usually manifests within 14 days after being exposed to the virus.
• The classic sign of measles is a widespread skin rash.
• This measles rash, which appears as red, itchy bumps, commonly develops on the head and slowly spreads to other parts of the body.
• The rash usually appears within the first three to five days of exposure to the virus and it can last up to seven days.
• Several other symptoms include:
  • a cough
  • fever
  • red eyes
  • a runny nose
  • a sore throat
  • light sensitivity
  • muscle ache
  • white spots inside the mouth. (Koplik spots)
• The CDC also identified  common and severe complications from measles:
  • The common complications include:
    • Ear infections, which occurs in about one out of every 10 children with measles and can result in a permanent hearing loss.
    • Diarrhea which is reported in less than one out of 10 people with measles.
• The severe complications are:
  • Pneumonia which, is an infection of the lungs and the statistics show that one out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.
  • Encephalitis which, is a swelling of the brain, only one child out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis, a swelling of the brain, that can lead to convulsions and can leave the child deaf or with intellectual disability.
• Lastly, measles may cause a pregnant woman to give birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby.

Measles Outbreak

• Measles primarily occurs in unvaccinated children.
• Some parents choose not to vaccinate their children for fear that it will cause adverse effects.
• Some parents believe that the measles vaccine can cause autism in children.
• Measles can spread when it reaches a community in the U.S. where groups of people are unvaccinated.
• According to the CDC, in 2015 there were 189 cases of measles in the United States.
• An analysis by the CDC scientist showed that the measles virus type in the 2015 outbreak in the United States, was identical to the virus type that caused the large measles outbreak in the Philippines in 2014.
• From January 1 to April 21, 2018, 63 people from 16 states, including New York, were reported to have measles.
•  A report from the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD),  in 2014, the United States experienced a record number of measles cases, with 667 cases from 27 states, this being the greatest number of cases since measles elimination was documented in the U.S. in 2000.
• The U.S. experienced 23 measles outbreaks in 2014, including one large outbreak of 383 cases, occurring primarily among unvaccinated Amish communities in Ohio.
• Measles is still common in many parts of the world including some countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa.
• Travelers with measles continue to bring the disease into the U.S.
• With a drastic decrease in the immunization rates, herd immunities have broken down leading to an increase in the number of new measles cases across the United States.

Prevention

• Measles can be prevented with MMR vaccine.
• The vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella.
• The CDC recommends children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age.
• Teens and adults should also be up to date on their MMR vaccination.
• According to CDC, the MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles, and one dose is about 93% effective.
• As of today, there is no prescription medication to treat measles.
• If you are experiencing the diseases, your doctor may recommend:
  • acetaminophen to relieve fever and muscle aches
  • rest to help boost your immune system
  • plenty of fluids (six to eight glasses of water a day)
  • humidifier to ease a cough and sore throat
  • vitamin A supplements.
• The CDC recommends pregnant women get their MMR vaccine after they have had their babies.