Measles (what else?)

Measles is in the news and in this post I provide a few basic facts culled from Wikipedia and the CDC (and WebMD).

1. Cause (Wikipedia):

Measles is caused by a virus (paramyxovirus) that infects the respiratory system, immune system, and skin.

2. Symptoms (Wikipedia):

"Initial symptoms usually include a high fever (often > 40 °C [104 °F]), Koplik's spots (spots in the mouth, these usually appear 1–2 days prior to the rash and last 3–5 days), malaise, loss of appetite, hacking cough (although this may be the last symptom to appear), runny nose and red eyes. After this comes a spot-like rash that covers much of the body."

3. Measles is highly contagious (Wikipedia):

Unlike Ebola Virus, "measles is an airborne disease that is spread through respiration (contact with fluids from an infected person's nose and mouth, either directly or through aerosol transmission via coughing or sneezing). The virus is highly contagious—90% of people without immunity sharing living space with an infected person will catch it."

4. Can measles be fatal (CDC)?

Yes.

"In the decade before the measles vaccination program began, an estimated 3–4 million persons in the United States were infected each year, of whom 400–500 died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and another 1,000 developed chronic disability from measles encephalitis. Widespread use of measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99% reduction in measles cases in the United States compared with the pre-vaccine era. However, measles is still common in other countries."

"Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children. From 2001-2013, 28% of children younger than 5 years old who had measles had to be treated in the hospital.

For some children, measles can lead to: Pneumonia (a serious lung infection), lifelong brain damage, deafness, death."

5. Should I get a measles shot (CDC)?

"You do not need the MMR vaccine if you had blood tests that show you are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella, are someone born before 1957, already had two doses of MMR or one dose of MMR plus a second dose of measles vaccine, already had one dose of MMR and are not at high risk of measles exposure.

You should get the measles vaccine if you are not among the categories listed above, and are a college student, trade school student, or other student beyond high school work in a hospital or other medical facility travel internationally, or are a passenger on a cruise ship are a woman of childbearing age."

6. What is so special about people born before 1957 (CDC)?

"People born before 1957 lived through several years of epidemic measles before the first measles vaccine was licensed. As a result, these people are very likely to have had the measles disease. Surveys suggest that 95% to 98% of those born before 1957 are immune to measles. Note: The "1957 rule" applies only to measles and mumps—it does NOT apply to rubella."

7. What does MMR stand for in "MMR vaccine" (WebMD)?

"The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is recommended for all children. It protects against three potentially serious illnesses."

More on mumps and rubella:

"The mumps virus usually causes swelling in glands just below the ears, giving the appearance of chipmunk cheeks. Before the vaccine, mumps was the most common cause of both meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) and acquired deafness in the U.S. In men, mumps can infect the testicles, which can lead to infertility.

Rubella is also known as German measles. It can cause a mild rash on the face, swelling of glands behind the ears, and in some cases, swelling of the small joints and low-grade fever. Most children recover quickly with no lasting effects. But if a pregnant woman gets rubella, it can be devastating. If she's infected during the first trimester of pregnancy, there's at least a 20% chance her child will have a birth defect such as blindness, deafness, a heart defect, or mental retardation."

8. How effective is the MMR vaccine (CDC)?

Very effective.

"More than 95% of the people who receive a single dose of MMR will develop immunity to all 3 viruses. A second vaccine dose gives immunity to almost all of those who did not respond to the first dose."

The take-home lesson from this fact-sheet is that all children should get their MMR vaccine shots (first shot when she is between 12-15 months, and the second when she's between 4-6 years of age, WebMD) as recommended by the CDC and the medical community.

Figure 1. Symptoms of measles include a high fever and the tell-tale skin rash.