Reports this week indicated 2018 is on track for the most
cases of measles since 2014, when 667 cases were reported across the U.S.
However, this was misinterpreted in the press.
The latest information from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) reports 107 people from 21 states have been diagnosed with
measles from January 1 to July 14, 2018. Among those states, Louisiana has
reported just two cases of measles this year. These numbers are in line with a
typical year, and not at elevated levels as was reported.
The measles cases that are being reported represent cases
that come to the U.S. from other countries that have endemic cases. (Endemic
means belonging exclusively or confined to a particular place.)
Measles is not currently spreading from person to person in
the U.S. or Louisiana.
Louisiana’s two cases
are unrelated
Dr. Frank Welch, immunizations director for the Louisiana
Department of Health, says the two Louisiana cases – which happened in early
spring – stem from unvaccinated persons who traveled or lived outside the U.S.
The two cases are unrelated. The first report, in April,
involved an unvaccinated man traveling from London to New Orleans for
WrestleMania. The second report came in May and involved an unvaccinated
school-age child who had traveled to a country where measles is endemic.
Since the two cases occurred separately they do not meet the
criteria for an outbreak, which is when a disease spreads rapidly from person
to person.
Prevention is key
Even though there’s no measles outbreak, it’s important to
be mindful of protection from the disease. The best prevention is two doses of
the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, also known as MMR. Two doses are about
97 percent effective against measles. Check with your primary care provider if
you’re unsure whether you have been vaccinated.
Good hygiene is also important to prevent the spread of
measles. Practice good hand hygiene habits, such as washing thoroughly with
soap and warm water. Avoid sharing food, drinks and utensils.
Protecting our
children
Children, particularly babies and the very young, are
especially vulnerable to measles. The disease can lead to pneumonia, lifelong
brain damage, deafness and occasionally death.
Children are required to receive two MMR vaccinations – at 1
year to 15 months of age and again at age 4, before starting school – according
to Louisiana law. It applies to children in public, private or charter schools
and home-schooled children. Exemptions are allowed for religious, philosophical
or medical reasons, such as allergies to components of the vaccine.
Among the concerns cited for not vaccinating children with
MMR is a belief that the vaccine causes autism. No such link has been found
among scientists in the U.S. and other countries who have carefully studied the
vaccine.
Louisiana’s exemption rate for the MMR vaccine is less than
1 percent, according to Dr. Welch.
Spotting measles
Signs of measles include high fever, cough, runny nose and
red, watery eyes, followed by a rash that typically spreads from the head to
the rest of the body. Sometimes, tiny white spots appear in the mouth two to
three days after symptoms develop.
Complications commonly found with measles are ear infections
and diarrhea, seen in about 10 percent of patients.
Measles is highly contagious and becomes so four days before
the appearance of rash and four days after the onset of rash. It is spread by
coughing, sneezing or sometimes being in the same room as someone who is
infected.
There is no cure for measles, so treatment is merely to
alleviate the symptoms. The recommended treatment for measles includes rest,
pain and fever reducers, fluids, vitamin A supplements and the use of a
humidifier.
A person who has developed measles is considered immune to
the disease after it has been contracted. Regardless, vaccination is still
recommended to protect against mumps and rubella.
For more information about measles, visit http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/3025
or https://www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html.
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