Measles

Why is in news? Mumbai measles outbreak due to low vaccination coverage

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease and is a cause of death among young children globally.

Rubella is a contagious, generally mild viral infection that occurs most often in children and young adults.

Though the diseases are caused by different viruses but share more or less the same symptoms, including the red rashes.

The Measles & Rubella Initiative, a global program, aims at eliminating both these diseases.

The vaccine for the disease are provided in the form of measles-rubella (MR), measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), or measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) combination.

Measles is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons.

Symptoms:

Initial symptoms, which usually appear 10–12 days after infection, include high fever, a runny nose, bloodshot eyes, and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth. Several days later, a rash develops, starting on the face and upper neck and gradually spreading downwards.

The most serious complications include blindness, encephalitis (an infection that causes brain swelling), severe diarrhoea and related dehydration, and severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

Vulnerability:

Severe measles is more likely among poorly nourished young children, especially those with insufficient vitamin A, or whose immune systems have been weakened by HIV/AIDS or other diseases.

Prevention:

Routine measles vaccination for children, combined with mass immunization campaign in countries with low routine coverage, are key public health strategies to reduce global measles deaths.