Measles and Whooping Cough Making a Comeback

By

Roy M. Arnold, MD

Two serious diseases are making a comeback thanks to persons refusing immunization against these easily preventable infections. The diseases are measles and pertussis (whooping cough.) Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus and is highly contagious. The disease of measles and the virus that causes it share the same name. The disease is also called rubeola. Measles virus normally grows in the cells that line the back of the throat and lungs.

About one out of 10 children with measles also gets an ear infection, and up to one out of 20 gets pneumonia. About one out of 1,000 gets encephalitis (brain inflammation), and one or two out of 1,000 die. Measles still kills an estimated 164,000 people each year around the world. Measles can also make a pregnant woman have a miscarriage or give birth prematurely.

Measles is highly contagious and can be spread to others from four days before to four days after the rash appears. 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 with the measles virus. The virus lives in the mucus in the nose and throat of the infected person. When that person sneezes or coughs, droplets spray into the air. The droplets can get into other people’s noses or throats when they breathe or put their fingers in their mouth or nose after touching an infected surface. The virus can live on infected surfaces for up to 2 hours and spreads so easily that people who are not immune will probably get it when they come close to someone who is infected. Measles is a disease of humans; measles virus is not spread by any other animal species.

In 2013, there were 189 cases of measles in the US, the second largest since the disease was declared officially eliminated in 2000. About 28% of these people got measles in other countries. They brought the disease to the United States and spread it to others. This caused 11 measles outbreaks in various U.S. communities, including the largest U.S. measles outbreak since 1996 (58 cases).

Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000. So, the disease no longer spreads year round in this country. But it is still common throughout the world, including some countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa. Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of getting infected when they travel internationally. They can bring measles to the United States and infect others. Unvaccinated people put themselves and others at risk for measles and its serious complications.

Pertussis, a respiratory illness commonly known as whooping cough, is a very contagious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. These bacteria attach to the cells that line part of the upper respiratory system. The bacteria release toxins, which damage the cells and cause inflammation (swelling). Pertussis (whooping cough) can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening complications in infants and young children, especially those who are not fully vaccinated. Complications include pneumonia, convulsions, stopping breathing, brain inflammation and death. Teens and adults can also

get complications from pertussis. They are usually less serious in this older age group, especially in those who have been vaccinated with a pertussis vaccine. Complications in teens and adults are often caused by the cough itself. For example, you may pass out, fracture a rib or lose control of your bladder during violent coughing fits. Worldwide, pertussis causes 16 million cases of illness and 195,000 deaths per year.

The best way to prevent contracting these potentially deadly diseases is to get vaccinated. Pertussis usually requires a booster every 10 years to ensure maximum immunity. More and more individuals are refusing vaccination for themselves and their children making them more vulnerable and increasing the likelihood of spreading the diseases once they are contracted. Many people still harbor the mistaken belief that childhood vaccines contribute to autism and related disorders. In 2004, a comprehensive review by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that there is not a causal relationship between certain vaccine types and autism. In the last 10 years, additional peer reviewed articles have repeatedly examined the relationship between vaccination and autism and arrived at the same conclusion.

No medical treatment is 100% safe. However, the risks of not receiving vaccines against common diseases far outweigh any potential complications.

Sources: Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.