Some time ago it seemed that this terrible disease had been defeated. Vaccination against measles has long become mandatory, and collective immunity is high. Against the backdrop of this prosperity, many parents began to refuse vaccination. And the disease has returned – now we are increasingly hearing about new outbreaks and the terrible consequences of measles.
People who refuse vaccinations are guided by different motives. But the fact remains that the incidence of measles is increasing. Let’s figure out why this infection is terrible and why the measles vaccination is the only effective method of combating this disease.
This acute infectious disease is caused by an RNA virus from the genus Morbillivirus, which was described by researchers in the middle of the last century. And a vaccine against it was invented and introduced already in the 60s.
Measles is highly volatile [1]—the virus enters through closed doors and ventilation systems. And it is maximally contagious – 95 out of 100 people who were in relative proximity to the patient will get sick if they did not have immunity to this disease.
People of any age get measles, but children are more likely to get measles. It is quite difficult, often with complications, sometimes even death.
The disease is characterized by high (up to 40°C) temperature, inflammatory processes in the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, conjunctivitis, as well as a maculopapular rash, which first forms on the face and neck, and then spreads to the arms, body and legs. The general condition of the patient is comparable to severe intoxication.
Measles is dangerous not only for its course, but also for its complications. As a result of the disease, the likelihood of damage to the central nervous system with the development of encephalitis and meningitis increases significantly. In addition, patients who have had measles are often diagnosed with pneumonia, otitis media, and pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
Unfortunately, not all patients cope with these complications. Thus, according to WHO, 128,000 people died from measles in 2021: mostly unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated children under 5 years of age.
The most common and life-threatening complications of measles are inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, laryngitis and laryngotracheitis.
Such complications often end in resuscitation with the connection of a ventilator.
What you need to know about measles
For the first week or two after infection, a person has no symptoms . The virus spreads in the body, but does not manifest itself in any way. Then comes the turn of fever – sometimes with a cough, runny nose, sore throat and inflammation of the eyes.
For 2-3 days the illness looks like a typical ARVI, and only then it becomes clear that everything is much more serious.
The patient develops a rash of small pink spots, some of which may resemble pimples. The spots merge and seem to flow into each other, the skin acquires a reddish tint, and the person looks as if swollen. Gradually, the rash spreads throughout the body, and the temperature rises to critical levels.
If the course is favorable, after a week the rash begins to fade and disappear, the patient’s condition gradually levels out, and the measles recedes. A person develops lifelong immunity to this infection.
| Main symptoms |
|
| How it spreads | By airborne droplets, as well as through objects. |
| Who is sick | Both children and adults without immunity to measles get sick, although historically measles was considered a childhood disease. Adults get very seriously ill. |
| At-risk groups |
|
| When a patient is contagious | The patient is contagious 4 days before the rash appears and 4 days after it appears. |
| Complications |
|
How many times should children be vaccinated against measles?
Before the invention of the vaccine, measles epidemics occurred regularly and claimed the health and lives of millions. Moreover, children got sick (and died) more often. According to WHO [2], major epidemics occurred every 2-3 years, and 2.6 million people died annually from this infection.
Today, in order to prevent the disease and subsequent complications, vaccination is carried out. This is the only preventative method that works.
According to the National Preventive Vaccination Calendar[3], vaccination against measles is mandatory. To obtain lasting immunity, you need to get two vaccinations: one at the age of one year, and the second before school.
Vaccination schedule by age
If the first measles vaccination is given later, the schedule shifts. You can start vaccination at any age if for some reason you missed the deadline.
- Vaccination – at 12–15 months;
- revaccination – at 6 years.
When should adults be vaccinated against measles?
In adulthood[4], it is advisable to vaccinate against measles for everyone who was not sick in childhood and was not vaccinated, that is, does not have immunity to the disease. It is especially important to get vaccinated if a person:
- works in a medical institution,
- works with children and adolescents,
- works in trade or on public transport,
- works in the border service,
- works on a rotational basis,
- travels a lot, especially to measles-prone countries and regions.
Who should not be vaccinated against measles?
Measles vaccination has a number of contraindications. Some of them are temporary, and some are permanent:
- acute infectious disease, exacerbation of a chronic disease (vaccination is carried out after the end of acute manifestations of the disease);
- primary immunodeficiency conditions, malignant blood diseases and neoplasms;
- severe reaction (temperature rise above 40°C, swelling, hyperemia more than 8 cm in diameter at the injection site) or a complication to a previous vaccine administration;
- severe renal dysfunction;
- heart disease in the stage of decompensation;
- pregnancy.
Where is the measles vaccine given?
The measles vaccination is not too painful; the vaccination itself is easily tolerated even by small children. The injection is given subcutaneously, usually in the upper arm.
Where can you get a measles vaccination?
The measles vaccination will be done in almost any clinic or hospital after examination by a doctor. In some cases, before vaccination, a specialist may refer the patient for a measles antibody test.
Where to contact
- To the clinic at the place of attachment.
- To any vaccination office that is located near you – at your place of work or study.
- To a commercial medical center on a paid basis.
Side effects after measles vaccination
Measles vaccination is usually easily tolerated by both children and adults. As a rule, no adverse reactions are observed. A person may experience a number of harmless symptoms that disappear within 2-3 days and do not require treatment.
Normal reaction
- slight soreness, redness and swelling at the injection site, which disappear within 2-3 days;
- on the 7th–12th day, a low temperature is possible, which disappears in 1-2 days;
- on the 7th–10th day, a rash may appear, which also disappears in 1–2 days;
- loss of strength, drowsiness, lack of appetite.
Dangerous symptoms (extremely rare)
- severe allergic reactions,
- convulsive reactions that occur 6–10 days after vaccination against a background of high fever.
If suspicious symptoms occur, consult a doctor.
How long does the measles vaccine last?
If a person has received both vaccinations (vaccination and revaccination), then he will develop strong immunity and will not need additional vaccinations.
However, according to some data, in a small percentage of vaccinated people, after 10 years the level of antibodies may decrease so that the immune system no longer effectively protects the body from measles.
It is important for people at risk to keep this in mind and periodically check their antibody levels using laboratory tests. If necessary, revaccination can be repeated.
What vaccines against measles exist and what are they called?
In the absence of contraindications, children are vaccinated with a combination vaccine, which includes components against three viruses at once: measles, mumps and rubella.
This is due to the fact that the vaccination schedule against all these infectious diseases is the same, and getting one injection instead of three is much more convenient, especially for very young children.
At the same time, the effectiveness of single-component vaccines is not inferior to three-component ones – the only difference is in the number of injections.
Russian:
- measles vaccine cultured live dry;
- mumps-measles cultural live dry vaccine “Divaccina” (two-component);
- live attenuated measles, mumps, rubella vaccine “Priorix” (three-component);
- live attenuated vaccine against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox “Priorix Tetra” (four-component).
Imported:
- live attenuated measles vaccine, single-component (India);
- three-component vaccine (against measles, rubella, mumps), live culture “M-M-R II” (Netherlands).
Doctor’s review of measles vaccination
Patients often ask, is it possible to get vaccinated after contact with a sick person if you do not have immunity to measles? It is possible, but there are two schemes that help protect a person. The doctor decides which regimen to use.
Most often, especially for children, in this case, passive immunization is carried out, that is, the introduction of human immunoglobulin no later than 3-5 days after contact.
But the measles vaccine is also used for emergency protection. It makes sense to undergo emergency vaccination[5] within three days after contact with a sick person.
These measures can protect against the disease or make its course much easier (mitigated measles).
Questions and answers
We will discuss the most pressing questions about measles vaccination together with an expert doctor.
At what age is it best to get the measles vaccine?
You can get vaccinated at any age. But ideally, a child should be vaccinated for the first time at 12–15 months, and revaccinated at 6 years.
Adults, if they have not previously been vaccinated and have not had measles, should be vaccinated before the age of 35, because at an older age, measles can be more severe and have more complications.
In this case, double vaccination is also required with a difference of at least 3 months between injections.
If a person does not have immunization records, you can get vaccinated at any age. In any case, it would be a good idea to check for antibodies to ensure reliable protection against infection.
Do adults get a comprehensive vaccine against measles, rubella and mumps?
An adult can also be vaccinated with a three-component (complex) vaccine if he has not previously been immunized against these viruses. However, more often vaccination is done with a monocomponent vaccine.
What should you not do after getting a measles vaccination?
Usually, the measles vaccination is easily tolerated, but I would like to give a number of recommendations that you should still follow after vaccination in the first couple of days after vaccination.
- it is advisable to refrain from visiting crowded places, and also not to visit sports sections, baths, saunas;
- you should stop drinking alcoholic beverages and not introduce new foods into your diet;
- you can take a shower, but the injection site should not be steamed, rubbed, or combed for a long time;
- there is no need to treat the injection site with anything, even if a local reaction occurs in the form of redness or thickening;
- if an allergic reaction occurs, you can take an antihistamine;
- if your temperature rises and flu-like symptoms appear, you can take an antipyretic;
- If other symptoms appear or adverse reactions persist for more than three days, you should consult a doctor.
Can you get measles if you were vaccinated as a child?
Measles vaccination allows you to form stable lifelong immunity in 69–81% of cases with a single injection and in 95% with repeated immunization.
However, even a full course of vaccination is not able to protect against infection. The risk of infection increases, for example, with severe immunosuppressive illness.
Nevertheless, both vaccination and measles in childhood contribute to the formation of stable immunity, thanks to which, if infection occurs, the disease will be mild, and the risks of complications will be minimize