Beware - measles!

In modern society, the main priority is health. It is no secret that vaccination is the most effective method of improving the health of the nation. It has long been proven that it is cheaper to prevent the disease than to treat it and its complications.

In Russia, there is a mandatory list of vaccinations (for children, these are vaccinations against tuberculosis, hepatitis B, polio, whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, influenza, hemophilic infection, pneumococcus). In our country, all mandatory vaccinations are carried out free of charge and with the consent of the patient or his parents. Unfortunately, there are still people who have not been vaccinated against dangerous infections.

Despite the fact that measles is a controlled infection, 110,000 people died from measles in the world in 2018 alone, the vast majority of them are children under the age of 5. In Russia, there was also an increase in the incidence of measles in 2018 by 3.5 times compared to 2017. There were 1,515 cases of measles in the central Federal District in 2018 (926 in Moscow). Of these, more than 50% and 90% of adults were not vaccinated or had no data on measles vaccinations. Measles is widespread everywhere. In 2019, measles outbreaks were recorded among those not vaccinated in almost all regions of Russia

The source of infection is a sick person. The patient is contagious within 10 days from the onset of the disease. The incubation (hidden) period is up to 21 days.

The natural susceptibility of people is very high, after the disease, immunity is developed for life. Repeated measles cases are very rare.

Clinical manifestations of the disease:Once in the human body, the virus settles in the nasopharynx, damages the skin of the eyes, causing conjunctivitis, and then penetrating into the lymph nodes, it spreads with blood throughout the body. The disease begins acutely, in the first days measles looks like a cold: weakness, headache, runny nose, "barking" cough, hoarseness of voice appears. The appearance of a measles patient is also typical for a cold - puffy face, swollen lower eyelids, watery reddened eyes. There is a sharp rise in temperature to 39-40 degrees, specific rashes appear on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity - whitish spots resembling bran. After 3-5 days, a rash appears on the body, and small red spots appear on the sky. The rash spreads from top to bottom: first it appears on the face and neck, then on the torso and arms, and then it descends to the legs.

The period of rash is accompanied by an increase in runny nose, cough. lacrimation, photophobia. After the rash disappears, pigmentation and peeling can be observed on the skin. Recently, adults have become sick with measles more often. A distinctive feature of measles in adults is pronounced intoxication and the frequent development of complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media), damage to the heart and central nervous system, blindness. Measles in pregnant women can be dangerous for the child, especially in the early stages and causes miscarriage, premature birth, and in some cases, the death of the child. Measles treatment should be carried out only under medical supervision.

Measles is dangerous with its complications – inflammation of the lungs and brain, seizures. 1 person out of 500 patients dies from complications. Measles is most difficult for young children and pregnant women. There is no specific therapy for measles.

For prevention, a measles vaccine containing a weakened virus is used. Vaccination of children is carried out at 1 year and again at 6 years. We vaccinate adults up to 35 years old, and risk groups - up to 55 years old. It should be emphasized that all the drugs used for vaccination are absolutely safe, well tolerated, and provide lasting protection against measles and the development of complications. Very rarely, from the 5th to the 15th day after vaccination, there are vaccine reactions (fever, measles-like rash, catarrhal phenomena), which quickly pass without medical intervention.

In conclusion, I would like to recall once again the well-known thesis that the one who is warned is well armed.

LOCB specialists strongly advise - do not neglect vaccination. Take care of yourself and the health of your children!