Measles is still here

Return to Vaccination News Home Page

Subscribe to the Vaccination NewsLetter

View past & current Scandals (columns by Sandy Mintz)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2003/06/10/feat/measles.is.still.here.html

Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Measles is still here
By Henrylito D. Tacio

DESPITE the availability of a safe, highly effective and inexpensive vaccine, measles affects over 30 million children and claims the lives of almost 750,000 each year -- more than half of them in Africa. Of all the vaccine-preventable diseases, measles remains the leading killer of children, according to the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO).

To eliminate measles in the near future, the WHO and another UN agency, the UN Children's Fund (Unicef) - recommended that children be given "two opportunities" for measles immunization.

The first opportunity is given at nine months of age through the country's routine immunization delivery system, and a second opportunity is provided through supplementary immunization activities conducted every three to four years to ensure that every child is protected.

The comprehensive strategy has been extremely effective in a block of seven southern African countries, WHO says. Through its full implementation, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe have reduced measles deaths to very low levels since the year 2000.

"If implemented correctly, the strategy could prevent a further 2.3 million child deaths in Africa over the next 10 years, markedly reducing the death toll from measles on the continent," the UN health agency states.

There are two global goals related to measles mortality reduction. The 2000 UN Millennium Development Goals include a target to reduce the under-five mortality by two thirds by 2010. And the 2002 UN General Assembly Special Session on Children (Ungass) established a resolution to reduce measles deaths by 50% by the year 2005 compared to 1999 levels.

A dose of measles vaccine costs only US$ 0.25, including safe injection equipment.

"Of all health interventions, measles immunization carries one of the highest health returns for the money spent," WHO said.

Measles, also called rubeola, is best known for its typical skin rash. It is, however, primarily a respiratory infection. The first symptoms are irritability, runny nose, eyes that are red and sensitive to light, hacking cough, and a fever as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6 degrees Celsius).

Medical science tells us that fever peaks with the appearance of the rash, which typically begins on the forehead, then spreads downward over the face, neck, and body. The child is particularly ill looking during the first days of the rash. It usually takes about 3 days for the rash to make its way down to the feet. Once the rash appears on the legs and feet, symptoms usually subside within 2 days.

The rash itself looks like large flat red to brown blotches that often flow into one another to completely cover the skin, especially on the face and shoulders. The rash fades in the same order that it appeared, forehead first and feet last. The total time for the rash, from beginning to end, head to toe, is usually about 6 days. As the rash disappears, the healing skin may look brown temporarily, before it sheds in a finely textured peel.

One special identifying sign of measles is Koplik's spots. These are small, red, irregularly shaped spots with blue-white centers found inside the mouth. Koplik's spots usually appear 1 to 2 days before the measles rash and may be noticed by a doctor looking for the cause of a child's fever and cough.

Measles can lead to many different complications: croup, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, conjunctivitis, myocarditis, hepatitis, and encephalitis. Measles can also make the body more susceptible to ear infections or pneumonias caused by bacteria. Symptoms and complications of measles are usually most severe in adults.

(June 10, 2003 issue)

Return to Vaccination News Home Page

DISCLAIMER: All information, data, and material contained, presented, or provided here is for general information purposes only and is not to be construed as reflecting the knowledge or opinions of the publisher, and is not to be construed or intended as providing medical or legal advice. The decision whether or not to vaccinate is an important and complex issue and should be made by you, and you alone, in consultation with your health care provider.