Measles
What is it?
Measles, also called rubeola, is a highly contagious virus. In milder cases, it causes runny nose, fever, cough, and pink eye, just before a rash appears at the hairline and spreads down over the body. In more severe cases, the measles virus can cause pneumonia, meningitis (a brain infection), permanent deafness, and even death. Mostly, measles is spread when someone is exposed to coughs and sneezes from an infected person. The virus can live on surfaces and even float in the air for up to 2 hours! Thankfully, there’s an effective vaccine against measles.
Why is the vaccine important?
Measles is one of the most dangerous of vaccine-preventable diseases. Since it is highly contagious, vaccination is especially important to reduce its spread. We do this through maintaining high community immunization levels. To stop the spread of measles, 95% of a community needs to be vaccinated or have previously had measles (which is very rare in the US these days). If one person has measles, they can transmit it to 90% of the people close to them who are not immune.
There is not a specific treatment for measles. Rather, treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing disease complications. Even in healthy children, measles can require hospitalization. As many as 1 out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia. 1 child in every 1,000 who get measles will develop inflammation of the brain that can cause seizures, deafness, or a permanent disability. Sadly, for every 1,000 children who get measles, 1 or 2 will die from it. Measles can also cause a pregnant person to have a miscarriage, give birth prematurely, or have a baby with low birth weight.
Children who do survive and recover from a measles infection continue to be at risk. Roughly 7 – 10 years after infection, there is a chance of a rare but fatal disease: subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Measles infections can also erase the immune system’s memory of other diseases and weaken the immune system for months after the measles infection, leaving a person vulnerable to many diseases.
Progress
Before the vaccine became available, measles caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year. In 2000, due to widespread vaccination, measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. However, measles is still common in many parts of the world. While the disease is considered eliminated, travelers sometimes bring measles to the U.S. The CDC reports measles cases and outbreaks each year. This helps parents and caregivers understand measles risk in their community and state.
Vaccine Recommendations
Children should get 2 doses of MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Children should receive the first dose at 12 – 15 months old and the second at 4 – 6 years old. Young children are most at risk for severe complications from measles, so it is important to get them vaccinated on schedule.
Side Effects
Vaccines, like any medicine, can cause side effects. Most side effects are mild and go away within a few days. Common side effects of the MMR vaccine include redness or swelling at the site of the vaccine, fever, headache, or body aches; about 10-25% of children will get these in the days after a measles vaccine. More rarely, children can develop a measles-like rash a week or so after getting their vaccine. Side effects are normal. Although these side effects are never desirable, they are better than the alternative possibilities and are a sign that the immune system is actively working to build antibodies to fight off future infections.
Talk to your child's healthcare provider if you have more questions about the dangers of the measles virus or side effects from the measles vaccine. In the event of a serious allergic reaction, call 9-1-1.
