Measles
As measles has made its way to Colorado, we wanted to take the opportunity to make sure our families were informed of the risks of this illness and the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, the MMR.
At the time this is being written, there are 3 reported cases of measles in Colorado. These cases are not believed to be related. As vaccination rates have fallen in the state, Colorado is primed for an outbreak of measles.
Measles is one of the most contagious viral infections known to man. The virus particles can remain airborne for 2 hours, infecting individuals who were never in direct contact with a sick or contagious person. The virus has a very long incubation period, around 7-21 days (most common time frame is 8-12 days).
It is a very serious disease that can result in complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and death. As many as one out of every 20 children with measles will get pneumonia. This is the most common cause of death from measles in young children. Encephalitis can cause seizures and leave a child deaf or with intellectual disabilities.
The viral infection often starts with a high fever along with the cough, coryza (runny nose) and conjunctivitis (red watery eyes). These are often referred to as the 3 C’s. After these symptoms, a distinctive rash starts on the face and spreads downward over the whole body. Infected people can spread measles to others 4 days before and 4 days after rash onset.
The measles virus also weakens the immune system of those infected, making them more vulnerable to other infections for years after recovering from the illness. This phenomenon is known as immune amnesia. It takes 2-3 years post-measles infection for protective immune memory to be restored.
The MMR vaccine is routinely given at 1 year of age to children. It is recommended earlier (age 6 -11 months) if an infant is traveling internationally or to an outbreak region in the US. This early dose does not technically “count” and it is still recommended that the patient have their 1 yr MMR as well.
The MMR is not usually given prior to the 1 yr mark because infants have maternal antibodies (if mom was vaccinated) that are so active in their system they are unable to mount an effective immune response to the vaccine. This maternal antibody coverage begins to fade in infants around 6-9 months of age.
If you have questions about vaccination or want to schedule an appointment to discuss the issue further, please do not hesitate to reach out to your provider.
