Facts about Measles
Combining measles immunization with other health interventions is a contribution to the achievement of Millennium Development Goal Number 4: A two-thirds reduction in child deaths between 1990 and 2015" (UNICEF 2007).
Prior to immunization programs, major measles outbreaks usually occurred on a two to three-year cycle, with smaller outbreaks in the off years (Longe 2006).
Measles, also known as rubeola, is a very highly contagious disease caused by a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus, and characterized by a high fever and characteristic skin rash.
Positive contact with other patients known to have measles adds strong epidemiological evidence to the diagnosis.
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is a very rare complication of measles that can occur up to ten years after the initial infection (Longe 2006).
Measles is serious enough in the developing world that there is a saying among mothers, "never count your children until after the measles" (Dillner 2001).
Globally, measles deaths are down 60 percent, from an estimated 873,000 deaths in 1999 to 345,000 in 2005.
The most contagious time period begins three to five days before the person actually becomes ill and the characteristic rash appears, until about four days after the measles rash has appeared (Longe 2005).
Measles is one of the world's most contagious diseases—about 90 percent of people without immunity, sharing a house with an infected person, will catch it.
Clinical diagnosis of measles requires a history of fever of at least three days together with at least one of the three Cs.
Other names for measles are five-day measles, hard measles, and even seven-day, eight-day, nine-day, or ten-day measles.
Africa has seen the most success, with annual measles deaths falling by 75 percent in just 5 years, from an estimated 506,000 to 126,000 (UNICEF 2007).
Measles is spread primarily through the respiratory system, through contact with fluids from an infected person's nose and mouth, either directly or through aerosol transmission.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), measles remains a leading cause of vaccine preventable childhood mortality.
Declining immunization rates in the UK are the probable cause of a significant increase of cases of measles (Henry 20070.
Vaccination rates have been high enough to make measles relatively uncommon in the developed world.
Humans are the only known natural hosts of measles, although the virus can infect some non-human primate species.
The joint press release by members of the Measles Initiative brings to light another benefit of the fight against measles: "Measles vaccination campaigns are contributing to the reduction of child deaths from other causes.
The classical first symptoms of measles include a fever for at least three days, and the three Cs—cough, coryza (runny nose), and conjunctivitis (red eyes).
Children younger than 18 months usually retain anti-measles immunoglobulins (antibodies) transmitted from the mother during pregnancy and thus are protected.
Before the advent of vaccines, measles was a very common childhood disease, with nearly everyone infected by age ten to twelve (Breslow 2002).
Measles can be very serious, particularly in developing countries where the fatality rate can be as high as 15-25 percent (Breslow 2002).
Most patients with uncomplicated measles will recover with rest and supportive treatment.
To date, 21 strains of the measles virus have been identified (Rima et al.
A few days later, there is the appearance of Koplik's spots, which are unique to measles (Longe 2006).
Other names for measles are five-day measles, hard measles, and even seven-day, eight-day, nine-day, or ten-day measles.
The measles virus (MV) is an enveloped, nonsegmented negative-stranded RNA virus.