The Centers for Disease Control continues to report increased numbers of measles patients in the US. From January 1 to February 13, 2015 there have been 141 cases.  It has spread to 17 states and the District of Columbia, with 80% linked to the multistate outbreak from Disneyland.

 

Measles is not a benign disease!

Per the World Health Organization, there were 146,700 measles deaths globally in 2013.  Most of these deaths occur in lower- and middle-income countries,

 

Even in the US, measles can cause serious complications and death. Complications from measles can be seen in any age group, but particularly in children <5 years of age and in adults >20 years of age.

 

Measles Complications:

Common:

• Ear infections (about 1 in 10 children)
  • Can result in permanent hearing loss
• Diarrhea (about 1 in 10 people with measles)

 

Severe:

• Pneumonia (as many as 1 in 20 children)
  • Most common cause of death
• Encephalitis (about 1 in 1,000 children)
  • Can lead to seizures, hearing loss, intellectual disability
• Death (1 to 2 per 1,000 children)
• Measles in pregnancy can cause premature birth and low-birth-weight babies

 

Long-term:

• Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)
  • Aside from the long-term complications above, an estimate 4 to 11 out of every 100,000 will develop this fatal disease of the central nervous system 7 to 10 years after infection.

 

Bottom Line:

Per Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC: “This is not a problem with the measles vaccine not working. This is a problem of the measles vaccine not being used.”

 

References

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs286/en/

http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/complications.html