Why is measles so bad

The part that is startling is how measles hijacks the very cells that are supposed to defend us from infection and uses them to spread far and wide. No wonder measles causes millions of infections and tens of thousands of deaths worldwide.

Most deaths are in developing countries, but more developed nations are seeing an increase in deaths directly attributable to increased cases from vaccine hesitancy. I am the editor of the History of Vaccines site, an online project by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

All opinions expressed on these blog posts are not necessarily those of the College or any of my employers. Najera, DrPH. Twitter Instagram Facebook Email.

The second study, by a different team, was published in Science Immunology. In many developing countries, parents do not have access to immunization services that could protect their children from this fate.

Factors such as poverty, poor health systems and a lack of information can make it difficult for families to secure preventative vaccinations for each of their children.

The risk also remains in developed nations. Although measles and rubella has been eliminated in a number of countries, outbreaks can occur when unvaccinated residents are exposed to infected people, mostly through international travel.

Measles and rubella and CRS, however, are entirely preventable. Learn more about measles and rubella and contribute to the solution. Site supported and maintained by.

Prelude Version 2. The Problem. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases ever known and is an important cause of death and disability among young children worldwide. Rubella can cause severe birth defects.

Measles is more contagious than Ebola, and lingers in the air and on surfaces for long periods of time. You can catch measles simply by being in the same room as someone infected with measles, even two hours after the person left. There are no specific treatments for measles, only measures to help alleviate the symptoms such as over-the-counter painkillers and fever reducers.

Outbreaks are happening all over the world, with some of the largest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Somalia and Ukraine. In , there have been outbreaks in countries with overall high rates of vaccination, and where the disease was previously eliminated.

This year, for example, the United States reported its highest number of cases in 25 years, while four countries in Europe — Albania, Czechia, Greece and the United Kingdom — lost their measles elimination status in following protracted outbreaks.

And in our increasingly connected world, diseases can spread rapidly across borders and oceans. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention partially attributes measles outbreaks in the United States to an increase in the number of unvaccinated travelers who come into contact with infected people abroad, contract the disease, and return home while still contagious.

Most measles cases in the United Kingdom are attributed to travel in Europe, and have also been linked to music festivals and other large public events. In a few words: lowered immunization rates. Because measles is so contagious, a large proportion of the population 95 per cent needs to be vaccinated to help stop the spread of the disease. Outbreaks occur when vaccination rates dip below this level. This is happening for several reasons, and usually a combination of many factors, including:.

Countries or areas that have fewer resources overall are more likely to suffer measles outbreaks. In these cases, the cause of an outbreak can be as simple as parents not living near doctors or health centres that offer the vaccine.

More than 95 per cent of deaths from measles are in low income countries with weak health infrastructures. Countries in the midst of conflict or natural disasters often see spikes in infection rates.

When hospitals and health facilities are damaged or destroyed, and when health workers are unable to do their jobs, it interrupts routine vaccination services. And in crowded camps and settlements, diseases like measles can spread rapidly. A year after the conflict in Yemen broke out in , the rate of measles vaccinations declined sharply.

In , the country had one of the highest number of cases of measles in the world.