Some people believe that by now, we shouldn't be having a single case of measles anymore around us, but unfortunately, it has remained an important cause of global mortality and morbidity, particularly in Africa and Southeast Asia regions, it gives cases of 100,000 deaths on annual basis regardless of the fact that that there is now a vaccine. Measles is also known as rubeola, it is a preventable but highly contagious acute febrile viral illness, and this is what we will be studying today.
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The reason why the other name for measles is rubeola is that it is caused by the virus, and it spreads either in the form of direct contact with the person who has the virus or it spreads through tiny droplets in the air. The disease could result in lifelong complications. Although vaccination is available, not everyone can get vaccinated often because of other existing health conditions like a weak immune system.
The reported number of worldwide measles has increased by 79 % in the first two months of 2022 when compared with last year, this number is something to worry about indeed as fears as been created in the minds of people from the report that, there could be an increase in the beginning of large measles outbreak globally.
UNICEF and WHO have described the current condition for the measles outbreak as a perfect storm and this is because a lot of children at the moment are being left without any form of protection in terms of vaccination against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases due to the increase in large outbreaks. A perfect storm is contributed by several factors; pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines as well as the diversion of resources from routine immunization all play a significant role to play.
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Instability and conflict contribute significantly to these outbreaks, countries that had the largest outbreaks last year are; Nigeria, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Somalia. Measles is a deadly disease, this virus has a direct lethal effect on the body. This virus creates fever and a distinctive rash that often begins on the face and then spreads all through the body. In some cases, serious and severe complications are known as pneumonia, blindness, serious diarrhea, encephalitis, and eventually death. When measles affects the body, it gets the immune system of a child weak and makes them vulnerable to infections for a long time after recovering from measles.
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has seriously interrupted the campaigns of vaccination around the world, including measles, recovering from the pandemic, there is a need to build a stronger health system that every child would be able to access, the routine immunizations required to keep them healthy. In building a stronger health system than we use to have, there has to be an increased number of trained healthcare workers, additional vaccination sites in underserved communities, and effective messaging around the vaccines.
Young children who are unvaccinated are at the highest risk of measles and all the complications that comes with it. Pregnant women who stand a risk also need vaccination, non-immune persons can also become infected. The virus remains active and remains contagious in the air or surface infected for up to two long hours, this means anyone within that environment and who has contact with the infected surface stands at risk of being infected, at the same time, the infection can be transmitted through persons from 4 days before the onset of the rash until 4 days after the eruption of the rash. The outbreak of measles outbreak can lead to epidemics leading to death, especially amongst malnourished and young children, in a place where measles have been eliminated largely, cases that are imported from other countries will remain an important source of infection.
There is no specific antiviral treatment for the measles virus, serious complications occurring from measles can be reduced through supportive care that ensures access to good nutrition, sufficient fluid intake, and the treatment of dehydration with WHO-recommended oral re-hydration solution. This provided solution would replace fluids and other essential elements that are lost through vomiting or diarrhea, antibiotics have to be prescribed to treat eye and ear infections, as well as pneumonia. Children who are diagnosed with measles are to receive two doses of Vitamin A supplements, provided 24 hours apart, with this treatment, there is a restoration of low vitamin A levels during measles that occur in well-nourished children and can help prevent eye damage and blindness. Over time, Vitamin A supplements have been shown to limit the number of death cases of measles.
The prevention of measles is possible and that is only through vaccination, healthcare workers have a role to play in the vaccination, without vaccination, there will be a high risk of transmitting the infection to others and even some severe neurological complications.
The measles vaccine has been existing for years, and for as long as 60 years now, it is highly safe and inexpensive. The vaccine is often incorporated with rubella or mumps vaccines, which is equally safe and effective whether it is in a single or a combined form. The addition of rubella to the measles vaccine will slightly increase the cost, providing room for shared delivery and administration costs.
A doctor has to be visited instantly if; there is a fever case that has risen over 100.4oF, coughing of blood, inability to breathe properly, convulsion, signs of confusion or drowsiness, symptoms that could signify the presence of measles.