Measles: why are so afraid of it, and is not it better to have been ill

What is measles?

Measles - an infectious disease and a major cause of mortality among children at an early age, if we consider the whole worldMeasles. WHO Newsletter. It causes measles virus in the paramyxovirus family.

The first symptoms appear 10-12 days after infection. The disease begins with a high temperature, rhinitis and cough, watery eyes. On the inside of the cheek formed gray-white spots.

A few days later the patient has a rash of red-brown spots. It begins on the face and head, then gradually descends below.

Symptoms keep 7-10 days, then pass.

The cure measles?

Since measles - a virus, it does not act on antibiotics. And specific treatment for measles does not exist. So I have to endure until the body itself can not cope with the disease.

The maximum that can be done - to support the person to give him fully fed, make sure that has not been dehydrated, and hope that will not happen complications.

What are the complications of measles causes and what are they dangerous?

It complications - is the reason why the deadly measles.

Because of measles develops encephalitis and brain swelling, ear infections, pneumonia, Inflamed mucous membranes of the eyes and intestines. Sometimes the consequences are blindness and impaired immunity.

Why develop complications?

From the fact that the body and the immune system is not strong enough to resist the virus. Most often, the complications are staggering:

1. Children aged up to five years, because that's what most kids get sick.
2. Impaired children who are malnourished.
3. People living with HIV or other chronic diseases.

According to the WHO, is now developing complications every fifth sickMeasles: be aware of the risks, check their status, protect yourself. That is why we should not think that measles is better to have had too great a risk of severe disease progression and death.

In addition, measles is dangerous for pregnant women, because it threatens the life and health of the fetus.

How not to become infected with measles?

Measles is easily transmitted from person to person. And if there is no immunity against this disease, it is not infected can be only one way: to not be in contact with patients. The problem is that the person is infectious for several days before the first symptoms appear.

Measles saves only the immune system, which is produced after undergoing a disease or after vaccination.

Vaccination exactly help?

Do vaccinations against measles efficiency. Children are vaccinated twice a year and in six years. After that, the immune system appears in 95-98% of vaccinated. If the child does not yet have a year, the vaccine is administered only under special conditions, if the baby is in contact with sick and when he was six months.

After vaccination immunity lasts up to 25 years. If vaccinated people still sick (this is rare, but it happens), the measles uncomplicated and much lighter than usual.

Even if we introduce the vaccine within 72 hours after contact with an infected person, it will help to move the collision with measlesPrevention of Measles, Rubella, Congenital Rubella Syndrome, and Mumps, 2013: Summary Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

I'm an adult, I have something to fear?

In fact, measles is not a children's disease. It is highly contagious, sick anyone can. Indeed, cases among adults are extremely rare, and this is why:

1. In countries where the vaccine is not enough, many epidemics. There, residents meet with the ever measles. Only adults have immunity because they are ill when they were young. In children, the immune system is not, so they immediately get sick.
2. Since 1980, he has been active vaccination against measles. Because of that in developed countries there are practically no epidemics, and many just do not collide with the virus throughout their lives. Adults and children protected herd immunity.
3. When vaccinated insufficient number of inhabitants of the country, an epidemic breaks out, as it happened today. If the older generation vaccines do get sick again the children who received the vaccine did not.

That is, if unvaccinated, and neperebolevshy adult to meet with the sick man, he too gets infected because the virus measles asks passport.

Adults also need to be vaccinated against measles?

Yes, if you have not been vaccinated or do not know whether you have immunity. If you plant for a long time, it makes sense to check whether the immunity is preserved, and to pass vaccinations.

By the way, even if you have immunity, then an extra dose of measles vaccine will not bring harm. The body will react to it the same way as in the measles virus, which means you will not get sick, and nothing bad will happen.

If you or your children are not immunized, you go through immunization.