Measles
By Ben Kruger
Syptoms/Causes
Regular Symptoms
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Runny nose
- Rash
- Sore throat
- Inflamed eyes
- Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers on a red background inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek
- Blindness
- Encephalitis (short-term memory loss, aphasia, weakened muscles and fatigue)
- severe diarrhea
- ear infection
- pneumonia
How do you get it?
You can get the Measles from personal contact or direct contact with a nasal or or throat secretion. It can also be spread by air or coughing and sneezing. Sharing a food or drink with whoever has the measles can also give you it.You can spread the virus to others from 4 days before the rash starts until 4 days after the rash appeared. The virus is most often spread when people first get sick, before they know they have it.
Benin 2014
A recent national measles campaign in Benin targeted 3 million children between 9 months and 9 years.
Photo: American Red Cross/ Javier Acebal
Can it be eliminated?
Elimination
The Measles can be eliminated but it would be a have to be a really big project. Bigger than it already is. It would cost a lot of resources. We would have to vaccinate all the countries. Organizations would have to travel around the whole world. Plus we would have to prevent transmission from the people who already have measles. They would have to isolate themselves and stay away from contact with humans or animals. If you had it but previously lost it you should thoroughly clean any room you were in
Vaccine
The Measles Vaccine became available in 1969. It was engineered by the 1954 Nobel Prize winner and 1954 Albert Lasker Award, John F. Enders. The vaccine today only costs one dollar. 1.1 billion children are vaccinated in over 88 countries since 2001. In many countries they combined into an MR vaccine, or into an MMR vaccine. It is strongly recommended by many organizations that you have 2 doses. The first dose should be between 12 to 15 months of age. The second dose should be between 4 to 6 years of age. During 2000 to 2013, measles vaccination prevented an estimated 15.6 million deaths making the measles vaccine one of the best buys in public health. In 1980, before widespread vaccination, measles caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year. Between 2000 and 2013, measles vaccination presented 15.6 million deaths.
Location
The Measles are a very contagious disease and it is is located at a lot of places like Dominican Republic of the Congo, Syria, Tanzania, Yemen, Malawi, Zambia, India, Macao, Afghanistan, Laos, Myanmer, Kakuma, Kenya, Kinshasa, and many more. India, however, has the largest number of deaths but luckily, it is beginning to see reduction in deaths with less estimated deaths in 2012. It's also located in many countries in America! The countries are Alabama, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. We are lucky it is not located in Iowa but it's still a tragic disease.
Similar Disease
Rubella is a similar disease to Measles. It is also called German measles or three day measles. It is almost exactly the same as measles but rubella is considered to be a milder disease that only lasts around three days. Both are caused by a virus. Both cause a skin rash. And both are considered to be a type of measles. Rubeola, which is another name for measles, can become a serious illness that lasts several days and can cause other serious permanent complications.
Goal!
The global goal is to reduce measles deaths by 95% by 2015.
Treatment
For your measles treatment you get a post exposure vaccination, immune serum, globulin, fever reducers, antibiotics, vitamin A, acetaminophen, plenty of fluids, rest, and a humidifier. A globulin is a group of proteins in the blood stream that helps to regulate the function of the circulatory system. You'll also want to treat your body right.
Statistics
Measles deaths are getting lower, dropping 78% from 2000 562,000 died but now in 2012 only 145,700 people have died. About 400 people die each day which is 16 deaths every hour. There were 20 outbreaks representing 89% of reported cases this year. 15 countries have had large measles outbreaks
Statistics
There has been 603,000 confirmed measles cases. 330 children die everyday. In 2013 there were 145,700 reported measles deaths. Organizations are hoping however that this year the deaths are decreasing.
Sources
Digital image. Jharkhand. Web.
Digital image. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
The High Price of Antibiotics. Digital image. Chriskresser. Chris Kresser. Web.
Infectious News. Digital image. Infectiousnews. RCSEARLE, 18 Oct. 2012. Web. 18 Dec. 2014.
Measles Alert in 2 States. Digital image. Essentialbaby. Web. 8 Aug. 2013.
"Measles and Rubella News - Measles & Rubella Initiative." Measles Rubella Initiative. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
"Measles." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 03 Nov. 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.
"Measles." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Staff, 24 May 2014. Web. 01 Dec. 2014.
"Measles Surveillance Data." WHO. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.