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January 29, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Steep Decline in Measles a Bright Spot in U.S. Health Efforts" Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com) (01/26/03) P. 1; Ornstein, Charles

As measles approaches near extinction in the United States, health officials warn that the disease still poses a major threat to Third World nations.  Statistics show that measles cases in the United States continued to ebb last year, with only 36 cases reported, down from 116 in 2001. While the news represents a major breakthrough in the fight against childhood infectious diseases in America, developing nations are not having the same success.  According to international health groups, measles is still the leading cause of premature death in children under age five worldwide, while 30 million children contract the virus annually.  Of reported measles infections in 2001, 745,000 children died from it, with half of those deaths concentrated in Africa.  Even more vexing to global health organizations is that  measles-related infections and deaths are vaccine-preventable.  Given the low cost of the vaccine, many say the number of infections and death in developing nations should not be at their current levels.

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