Quote:
Originally Posted by Maynard
Ok, in the usa, where most are immunized, very few (but not zero) measles deaths - but that is because it is virtually eliminated here. Worldwide it claims over 100k per year (WHO says 145,000 in 2014).
Also a good place to mention that those of you who forgo immunizations provide a handy breeding ground for those bugs to mutate and develop resistance, so thanks for helping drag us back towards the third world with this type of anti-science rhetoric. The 'they look healthy so we must have made the right choice' may let you feel good, until it fails completely - I seldom heard parents saying things like 'we knew it was gonna happen' at the bedside.
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Measles:
Complications occur in about 30% of cases and may include diarrhea, blindness, inflammation of the brain, and pneumonia, among others.
Nine out of ten people who are not immune and share living space with an infected person will catch it.
Measles affects about 20 million people a year, primarily in the developing areas of Africa and Asia. No other vaccine-preventable disease causes as many deaths. In 1980, 2.6 million people died of it, and in 1990, 545,000 died; by 2014, global vaccination programs had reduced the number of deaths from measles to 73,000. The risk of death among those infected is usually 0.2%, but may be up to 10% in people with malnutrition. Most of those who die from the infection are less than five years old. Measles is not believed to affect other animals. Before immunization in the United States, between three and four million cases occurred each year. As a result of widespread vaccination, the disease was declared eliminated from the Americas in 2016. It, however, occurred again in 2017 and 2018 in this region.
The measles vaccine is effective at preventing the disease, and is often delivered in combination with other vaccines. Vaccination has resulted in a 75% decrease in deaths from measles between 2000 and 2013, with about 85% of children worldwide being currently vaccinated. Once a person has become infected, no specific treatment is available, but supportive care may improve outcomes. This may include giving oral rehydration solution (slightly sweet and salty fluids), healthy food, and medications to control the fever. Antibiotics may be used if a secondary bacterial infection such as pneumonia occurs. Vitamin A supplementation is also recommended in the developing world.