WiRED Launches Measles Module Amid Disease Outbreak in U.S.

BY ALLISON KOZICHAROW; EDITED BY BERNICE BORN

Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.

 

The recent measles outbreak in Disneyland, California, has now spread east to Chicago. Alarm among healthcare workers and the general population plus the refusal of some parents to vaccinate their children complicate containing a disease once thought eradicated. While people in the U.S. have nearly forgotten about measles, the disease has been raging around the world. According to the World Health Organization, in 2013, there were 145,700 measles deaths globally—about 400 deaths every day or 16 deaths every hour.

 

In order to provide the most accurate information, WiRED International has just released a rapid response measles education module. The module describes the disease, symptoms, transmission, treatment—and the importance of vaccination. The course is interactive and contains colorful graphics and quizzes spaced throughout to help people retain the facts. As with all modules in WiRED International’s e-library, our health education is free to be viewed and downloaded from anywhere around the world.

 

Measles or rubeola is a highly contagious viral disease that affects mostly children. It is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons, and is one of the few truly airborne diseases. Initial symptoms, which usually appear 10 to 12 days after infection, include high fever, 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 downward.

 

Vaccination Recommendations
  • Two doses of measles vaccine, either alone or in a measles-rubella (MR), measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), or measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) combination, should be the standard for all national immunization programs for children.
  • Students at post-high school educational institutions who do not have evidence of immunity against measles need two doses of the MMR vaccine, separated by at least 28 days.
  • Adults who do not have evidence of immunity against measles should get at least one dose of the MMR vaccine.

People at Highest Risk
  • Unvaccinated young children, especially infants less than 12 months of age.
  • Unvaccinated pregnant women.
  • People with compromised immune systems, such as from leukemia and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

There is no specific treatment for measles, and most people recover within 2 to 3 weeks. However, particularly in malnourished children and people with reduced immunity, measles can cause serious complications, including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhea, ear infection and pneumonia.

 

Measles can be prevented only by immunization. Measles is considered one of the leading causes of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. The WHO reports that, “During 2000-2013, measles vaccination prevented an estimated 15.6 million deaths, making measles vaccine one of the best buys in public health.” Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications associated with the disease. In populations with high levels of malnutrition and a lack of adequate health care, up to 10% of measles cases result in death.