The general public and professionals are concerned about the introduction of measles vaccination debated for a long time, Now she is coming. From March 1st, parents have to prove that their children are vaccinated against measles before their children start school or school. Employees of medical facilities or community facilities are also from the Vaccination required, But why are Measles so dangerous and to what extent does vaccination protect against the disease? Answers to the most important questions about measles infection.
What are measles?
Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease that is triggered by viruses. Measles has long been considered a typical childhood disease, but more and more young people and adults are also becoming infected with the dangerous one RNA-Virus. The course of the disease is usually more severe for them than for children.
How are measles transmitted?
The virus is transmitted via droplets in the air we breathe. Talking, coughing, or sneezing an infected person may be enough to transmit the virus. Because in order to become infected with the virus, it is sufficient to inhale germ-containing secretions. The pathogen can enter the bloodstream via the upper respiratory tract or the conjunctiva. Direct contact with the infectious secretion from the throat or nose is also contagious. Drinking from the same glass of a person infected with the virus or using the same cutlery can therefore also be sufficient for infection.
The pathogen can survive in the air for up to two hours. According to the Robert Koch Institute and the professional association of pediatricians, contact with measles viruses leads to infection in almost 100 percent of cases, and over 95 percent result in an outbreak of symptoms.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Typical initial signs of infection include flu-like symptoms such as fever, runny nose, sore throat, and dry cough. In addition there are fatigue, tiredness, loss of appetite, headache and abdominal pain as well as sensitivity to light combined with conjunctivitis, which is particularly noticeable through watery eyes.
In a second phase of the disease – about three to five days after the first symptoms appear – the rash that is typical of measles. The dangerous thing about it: Even several days before the rash occurs, the infected person is highly contagious to other people – but until then usually doesn’t know anything about his illness.
What are the effects of measles infection?
In most cases, measles heals easily. However, according to the Robert Koch Institute and the Federal Association for Pediatricians, 10 to 20 percent of those affected develop complications. What is feared is the so-called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), an inflammation of the brain. It only occurs very rarely as a result of a measles infection – in seven cases with 100,000 illnesses – but always ends fatally. The tricky thing about this secondary disease: It only occurs six to eight years after being infected with the measles virus.
Other complications are possible after a measles infection. A severe form of pneumonia, the so-called giant cell pneumonia, or the so-called measles inclusion body encephalitis can occur, which is a slightly less dangerous inflammation of the brain compared to SSPE. Both complications lead to death in about 30 percent of the cases.
Researchers from England, Holland and the USA were able to take part in more recent studies published in the specialist journals in November 2019 Science and Science Immunology were published, but also prove that a measles infection – even if it appears to have survived without damage – our immune system weakens for a long time,
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