Measles vaccination is currently the only sure way to prevent this infection. Due to the fact that the measles vaccine has become mandatory, it has been possible to reduce the number of people affected by it a hundredfold. For example, in the United States, where everyone is vaccinated against measles, this disease is almost never encountered. But in some countries in Africa where measles vaccine is not given, there is still a very high level of infant mortality and serious complications. Now the UN is very active in introducing compulsory vaccination in all countries in order to save people from measles and its complications.
In Russia, measles vaccine is included in the preventive vaccination calendar. The first time it is usually done at the age of 12-15 months, and revaccination is carried out at 6 years old, on the eve of the child's admission to school.
The measles vaccine is based on attenuated measles viruses. Although they are alive, they cannot cause the disease itself, but they will form a good immunity for years to come. The child may show mild measles symptoms that will soon go away. In the post-vaccination period, a person poses absolutely no threat to either children, adults, or even pregnant women.
In case of contact of an unvaccinated person with a patient with measles at any age (from 3 months), an emergency preventive vaccination is introduced, which will help to resist the disease. However, its validity is only a few months, since it is passive immunization, therefore, vaccinations planned in the future are still carried out.
Particular attention should be given to women who are just planning a pregnancy. The fact is that the body's resistance to viruses is different, so it is advisable to take tests to detect antibodies to measles. If there is no immunity to measles, then a measles vaccine is needed again, which is best done before pregnancy in order to reduce all kinds of risks associated with this dangerous disease. As well as young children in an emergency case of a pregnant woman, passive immunization is indicated.
A measles vaccine can be given at the same time as any other vaccine. However, if no additional administration has occurred immediately, then the next vaccination is advisable not earlier than in a month. Usually this vaccine is combined with vaccinations against mumps and rubella (CCP).
Measles vaccine: effects
Each vaccine, like any other medicine, has its own risks and side effects. But you must always weigh in which case the risks are more serious. So, for example, the consequences of measles are much more severe than the body's reactions to the introduction of an appropriate vaccine.
Common risks include fever, coughing, rash, swelling of the salivary glands and testicles in boys (the latter is more common with the complex CPC vaccine, which children are most often vaccinated with). These symptoms may occur within two weeks. Sometimes in children from high temperature cramps occur, which can be prevented by timely knocking it down. In very rare (less than one in a million) cases, severe reactions to the vaccine occur, such as pneumonia, meningitis, deafness.
Measles vaccine: contraindications
- It is better not to vaccinate if the child is characterized by severe allergic reactions to chicken eggs, kanamycin, neomycin;
- It is better to postpone the vaccine if the child has recently had a disease with high fever, blood products were taken no more than a year ago, or thrombocytopenia was diagnosed.
When choosing whether or not to get a measles vaccine for a child, be sure to weigh the pros and cons, think about the risks after the vaccine is administered, and what can happen if you refuse and do not get your baby vaccinated on time. Remember, it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it later and deal with complications.