MEASLES
DEFINITION |
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Measles is an acute,
highly infectious viral disease that attacks the respiratory system,
eyes, gut and skin. It mainly affects children between 2 and 5 years
of age, although it can occur at any age. In Ireland, the number of
cases tends to rise in winter and spring.
Recently
in Ireland, some parents have delayed having their children
vaccinated against measles due to reports suggesting a possible link
between the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine and autism and
bowel disease. Despite recent research disputing any link between
the MMR and autism or bowel disease, uptake levels remain
dangerously low in some areas of the country and doctors fear a
fresh epidemic of the disease.
Measles immunisation was introduced in Ireland in 1985 and continued
as MMR immunisation from 1988 onwards. In the year 2000 over 1,500
new cases of the disease and 2 deaths due to complications
associated with measles were reported to the National Disease
Surveillance Centre. This compares to just 147 cases the previous
year.
Newborn babies have
maternal antibodies against the measles virus if the mother is
immune to measles but this protection begins to wane at 3 to 6
months. A person develops lifelong immunity to measles following an
infection with the measles virus.
The Department of Health
continues to encourage all parents to have their children vaccinated
against the disease, advising that the benefits of the vaccine far
outweigh the risks. |
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