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A kindergarten student cries after receiving an immunization shot at the Dona Ana County
Health Services Center in Las Cruces, N.M.
Health Services Center in Las Cruces, N.M.
Measles, Once Thought Eradicated, Is Making a Resurgence
May 02, 2008 12:01 PM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
Measles, a potentially fatal but preventable disease, is being reported in several U.S. states as a result of international outbreaks and a changing attitude toward vaccination.
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The United States has had more than 70 confirmed cases of measles this year. In 2000, public health officials said measles had been eradicated from the country.
Before vaccinations were widely available, complications from the disease killed up to 500 children a year, according to CDC officials. Measles is now “completely preventable through vaccination,” according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The outbreak of the highly contagious disease is caused by the presence of infected foreign visitors traveling in the United States, a lack of precautions at hospitals and other health facilities, and more parents choosing not to immunize their kids, said Anne Schuchat of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
In Pima County, Ariz., a Swiss visitor was the source of a 16-case measles outbreak. She has been treated and returned to Switzerland.
Michelle McDonald, Pima County’s chief medical officer, said those living with the very young, very old, and people with compromised immune systems, should get a measles shot.
Still, many parents debate whether to vaccinate their children and point to concerns the shots could be linked to autism, something public health officials deny.
Before vaccinations were widely available, complications from the disease killed up to 500 children a year, according to CDC officials. Measles is now “completely preventable through vaccination,” according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The outbreak of the highly contagious disease is caused by the presence of infected foreign visitors traveling in the United States, a lack of precautions at hospitals and other health facilities, and more parents choosing not to immunize their kids, said Anne Schuchat of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
In Pima County, Ariz., a Swiss visitor was the source of a 16-case measles outbreak. She has been treated and returned to Switzerland.
Michelle McDonald, Pima County’s chief medical officer, said those living with the very young, very old, and people with compromised immune systems, should get a measles shot.
Still, many parents debate whether to vaccinate their children and point to concerns the shots could be linked to autism, something public health officials deny.
Headline Links: Measles outbreaks
Israel and Switzerland are among the nations experiencing measles outbreaks, according to Schuchat. Almost all of the cases in the United States have been traced back to someone from one of those two countries.
Source: Journal Sentinel
With 16 cases, Arizona has the second most reported cases of the measles behind New York, where 22 of 23 cases occurred in New York City, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
Source: Arizona Daily Star
Background: More parents decline childhood vaccinations
Measles isn’t the only preventable childhood disease rearing its head. Public health officials have reported outbreaks of mumps and pertussis in pockets around the country. Both conditions can be prevented with vaccines.
Source: findingDulcinea
Opinion & Analysis: To vaccinate, or not to vaccinate
On the blog Mamas and Papas, Tucson Citizen reporter Heidi Rowley explains her decision to vaccinate her one-year-old child. “Over the last several weeks I have also spent quite a lot of time writing about the current measles outbreak which is linked to people not being vaccinated. I have made an informed decision to immunize my child against many potentially deadly and life-altering diseases.”
Source: Tucson Citizen
A blogger called Kandylini argues forcefully that doctors don’t have a legal right to force you to immunize your child. If a parent can’t find a sympathetic pediatrician, Kandylini suggests avoiding “well baby” visits. “If she’s well, why go to a doctor and expose her to other sick children? The visits are really about pushing vaccines, not about wellness—unfortunately, most doctors don’t have a clue to how to keep you and your family well.”
Source: Kandylini
Reference: Measles
Measles begins with a fever, and causes a red rash to appear a couple days later. It is spread through coughing and sneezing, and it takes up to two weeks after exposure for symptoms to appear, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Complications from the disease include encephalitis. In pregnant women, measles can cause miscarriages or lead to premature births.
Source: CDC
© 2008 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
