Measles in California

California has had a lot of bad press in 2014 as vaccine-preventable diseases wreak havoc on citizens. As flu season is coming to a close, California has reported 278 deaths from the flu.

Now, measles, a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus, has arrived in the state. As of late February, fifteen Californians have been diagnosed with measles. Almost half of the cases did not receive a measles childhood vaccine. To date, six counties have reported cases of measles. Last year, there were only two reported measles cases in California.

Health officials are worried that many people could be exposed to the measles virus by one of the sick people. Measles had been eliminated in the United States in 2000, but people can still contract it by visiting a country where it hasn’t been eliminated. In the case of the recent outbreak, three of the measles patients had recently been in the Philippines, two had recently traveled to India, and two had contact with travelers.

“A myth persists among many parents that the measles vaccine is dangerous,” stated California state epidemiologist Dr. Gil Chavez. “These illnesses continue to make a comeback because we have people who refuse to be vaccinated. There’s a tremendous burden to the counties and society.”

Thousands of people who ride the Bay Area Rapid Transit were warned they may have been exposed to measles after an unvaccinated UC Berkeley student contracted the disease on a trip to the Philippines and then rode public transportation.  Symptoms of measles include: rash, fever, runny nose and cough. If it isn’t treated, measles can cause: pneumonia, neurological damage, and birth defects in children if contracted by pregnant women.

It’s important to consult your physician when making vaccination choices. Measles and other diseases are serious threats to public health. When a parent chooses not to vaccinate their child, the choice can also have implications on the health of others.

When Measles Strikes

The media has been full of reports on the Texas mega-church with a measles outbreak because their pastor preaches against vaccination. The irony and coincidence of the situation has caused national news outlets, blogs and others to comment.

The Eagle Mountain International Church in Newark is a division TV evangelist Kenneth Copeland, who advocates faith healing and has talked of his belief in the vaccine-autism link. His daughter Terri Pearsons is the senior pastor at Eagle Mountain. The measles outbreak at the church has infected 21 people ranging in age from 4-months to 44-years old. The majority of the infected people were never vaccinated. Health officials expect the outbreak to grow.

A person who contracted measles in Indonesia visited the church and caused the outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) notes that measles is spread by coughing, sneezing and close personal contact. It is recommended that children get two doses of the MMR vaccine, which covers measles, mumps and rubella.

Measles is a highly contagious disease, 90% of people who aren’t vaccinated or immune to it will get sick if exposed to the disease. Symptoms of measles include a fever, cough and rash. The outbreak has led the church to hold vaccination clinics and encourage those who won’t be vaccinated to self-quarantine.

Health officials across the country have taken note and urge precaution. “We don’t take chances with our kids when we have them in a car, we should not take chances with our kids when they’re out in the world,” Dr. Ken Haller of Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in Missouri states. “Kids need to be vaccinated. I feel so sorry for these people who got measles down in Texas and I hope none of them end up dying as a result of it.”

“It is really important, as parents, if you have fears for your kid’s safety, for those fears to be rational; the fear of the diseases we’re trying to prevent and not the best means of preventing it,” Dr. Haller adds.

Vaccine Watch encourages everyone to get vaccinated. Diseases like measles are serious and can lead to death – but vaccination is a simple and safe preventative action. Ask your doctor if you have questions about vaccines, don’t depend on the wisdom of the non-medical community or the Internet. 

Measles Outbreak in Wales

In November, cases of measles in Wales began increasing. Throughout April, the number of measles cases continued to rise and one man died. Last week the number of cases rose again, reaching 1,243 total across Wales.

Fifteen years ago, many parents chose not to vaccinate their children because Andrew Wakefield linked vaccines to autism in a 1998 report in the Lancet. His work has since been discredited and he was stripped of his medical license, however many children in this era were never vaccinated. Young people aged 10 to 18 have been the hardest hit by the measles outbreak in Wales because they missed this key vaccine as infants.

Health officials are now concerned about the area of Gwent in Wales, where 84 measles cases have been reported since November. There are about 10,000 people aged 10 to 18 in Gwent that aren’t vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).

“It should be remembered that in 2011, we only saw 19 measles cases in the whole of Wales for the whole year,” Dr. Marion Lyons, the director of health protection for Public Health Wales states. “The 84 cases in Gwent are a huge concern to us and with 10,000 children still in need of vaccination, we are warning young people and parents not to be complacent just because they don’t live in the outbreak area.”

Since the outbreak began, more than 43,000 non-routine MMR vaccines have been given, reducing the number of unvaccinated children by 46%. However, 38,000 children in Wales remain unvaccinated, prompting concern among health officials about future outbreaks. Health officials have also estimated there are two million school children total in Britain who didn’t receive the vaccine when they were infants. A campaign was conducted earlier in the year to vaccinate one million of these children.

“It’s encouraging to see so many parents bringing their children for vaccination now who refused the vaccine in the past, and we must keep this up if we are going to see an end to the current outbreak and have the best chance of preventing more outbreaks in the future,” Dr. Lyons continues.

MMR is administered in two doses, the first dose provides 90% protection and with both doses, there is 99% protection. Measles is highly contagious with a rash and fever, as well as feeling poorly. Complications can include blindness, severe diarrhea, ear infections, pneumonia, or in extreme cases, death.

Dr. Sarah Wollaston is a former general practitioner and is a member of parliament representing Totnes, near Devon, where 30% of 5 year olds haven’t received both doses. With herd immunity, if 95% of children in a community are vaccinated the community is protected from outbreak. “The real ‘herd’ effect may be an unwarranted fear that vaccination is harmful or the belief that ‘natural’ methods like homeopathy can boost a child’s immunity and thereby offer a safe alternative to protect against that virus,” she explains.

“The MMR is a well-tested vaccine and offers protection against three of the most infectious childhood diseases,” Dr. Sam Barrell, a Brixham general practitioner states. “Measles is highly infectious and while most get over it quickly, for some it can have life-changing consequences.”

The tragic harm caused by Andrew Wakefield's fraudulent research continues to fuel vaccination fears and misinformation. It may take decades of education to undo this damage.