Measles occurs worldwide and remains a leading cause of mortality.
Before the introduction of the measles vaccine, over two million deaths occurred annually, the majority in children under five years of age.
Fortunately a world wide effort for immunization brought tremendous impact and 2016 marked the first year that global measles deaths dropped below 100,000 per year (89,780 deaths was reported).
Measles is a very contagious disease.
90 percent of people around a patient with measles will also be infected if they’re not immunized.
Coughing or sneezing, spreads small droplets in the air, transmitting the virus to other people. Infectious droplets from the respiratory secretions of a patient with measles can remain airborne for up to two hours. Even if someone touches an object contaminated with the virus and then touches his eyes or nose or mouth they can be infected.
The virus enters the body through the airways and mucosa of the eyes and starts to multiply. Then follows a period without any symptoms called the incubation period that can be between 6 to 21 days.
After this period the symptoms begin – high fever, cough, runny nose and sometimes red eyes. White spots in the mouth can also sometimes be present. Then a rash starts, small red spots, usually from the face down to the trunk, arms, and legs.
The contagious period is approximately five days before the rash starts until 4 days after the rash first appears.
In healthy children recovery occurs in about a week but in some cases it can be serious, developing to pneumonia, encephalitis, and sometimes even death.
Make sure you and your children are immunized.
In normal situations the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 2 doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR ) vaccinations – at 1 year old and at 4 years old.
And before any international travel, CDC recommends –
- Infants 6-11 months old should get one dose of measles vaccine
- Children 12 months and older should get two doses separated by at least 28 days
- Teenagers and adults who do not have evidence of immunity against measles should get two doses separated by at least 28 days
In China the CDC recommends one dose of measles, measles/rubella or measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) at 9 months old, second dose of MMR at 18 months and a booster at 4 years of age.
In the last few weeks there have been increasing cases of measles in our community in Shanghai.
What can we do to prevent the spread of measles?
- Review your and your children’s vaccination book and check if 2 doses of MMR were given. If not, complete the vaccination schedule as soon as possible
- If you have fever, cough, and runny nose make sure to use a mask, and don’t go to school or work.
- If you have fever and rash it is recommended that you go to a fever clinic. A clinic specialized in the management of contagious diseases. Please call the hospital and ask for information on how to proceed in this case.
- If you have had contact with someone diagnosed with measles, you need to monitor for symptoms for 21 days. This is the incubation period (period between the contagion and beginning of symptoms usually is 6-21 days)
- Special precaution is necessary for pregnant women, small children under one that didn’t receive MMR, and people who are immunocompromised (using immunosuppressant such as Humira)
- If you were diagnosed with measles you can help by informing your close contacts (people you had contact with 5 days before the rash started and 4 days after) to take the recommended precautions and monitor for symptoms of measles for 21 days.
Reference:
- https://www.cdc.gov/
- uptodate.com