Measles Update

- The ARC - California Edition -

Measles Update

About a decade ago, there was a significant measles epidemic occurring here in the United States. The peak of this US outbreak was during the year 1990, a time when we had 27,786 cases of measles officially being reported to our national surveillance system at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta. This translates into being 11.17 cases reported for every 100,000 persons that were residents of the US.

During that epidemic, fingers seemed to be pointing toward the importation of measles from other countries as being an important contributor to our US outbreak. About that same time, our neighbor to the south, Mexico, was also in the middle of a major outbreak of this serious disease, as that country saw well over 68,000 cases of the disease, and 5,899 deaths attributed to measles during that single year of 1990.

Partly because of this situation, an Immunization Working Group consisting of Mexico and United States representatives was established to enhance coordination of disease surveillance, assure high vaccination coverage in both countries, and hasten the elimination of vaccine-preventable diseases. This report will relate the status of some of their efforts.

During the past three years, the US had recorded low numbers of measles cases. Recorded during 1997 were 138 cases, during 1998, 100 cases, and during 1999, 100 cases. Among these 338 cases, 34% were imported from other countries, 19% were linked to imported cases, and 12% showed evidence of being imported. The remaining cases (120) were not attributed to importation from outside the US.

An important point to note is that the epidemiological people at our federal CDC has not related any of these 338 US cases of measles as being linked to the country of Mexico. During these same three years, Mexico has had no (that means zero) confirmed cases of measles reported to their surveillance agency. This is a major accomplishment.

Within Mexico, the 1997 immunization level for measles disease in children aged 1 to 4 years was 97%. Here in the US, the vaccination level among children at age 2 years was 91%. (Note the difference in how the two countries measure their immunization levels).

(Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome — United States and Mexico, 1997-1999; MMWR, Nov. 24, 2000)

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PREVENTION OF MEASLES

Measles can potentially cause encephalitis (an infection of the brain) that can lead to convulsions, deafness or mental retardation. Prior to widespread immunization, measles killed or disabled thousands of children each year. Historically, for every 3,000 people who contracted measles, one died, and one to two became damaged by encephalitis.

Immunization has proven to be a very effective and safe way to prevent disease or disability. In the US, the CDC strongly recommends that every person be vaccinated (immunized) against measles. The current CDC vaccination schedule for the measles disease is to receive two vaccinations – the first when a child is between age 12 and 18 months, and the second between age 4 and 6 years.

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