More recently, doctors began to think that they could soon defeat measles - a virus that, having one hundred percent susceptibility, caused epidemics for many hundreds of years and was the main cause of death for young children. The World Health Organization has already managed to reduce mortality from this disease by twenty times and planned to completely eliminate the risk of infection in several subordinate regions by 2020.
But humanity is not looking for easy ways. The mass fashion among young mothers to refuse vaccination, the propaganda of the imaginary danger of this procedure and the simply irresponsible attitude of young parents to protecting their children, the lack of funds for free vaccinations by the governments of many states - all this threatens the health and lives of children and adults all over the world.
What is measles?
This disease was known in antiquity. Already in the ninth century, a detailed clinical description of the disease was compiled. But until the 20th century, what causes measles - a virus or a bacterium, no one knew. D. Goldberger and A. Enderson in 1911 were able to prove that the disease is caused by a virus, and already in 1954 T. Peebles and D. Enders isolated an RNA virus, which has a special sphere shape 120230 nm in size and belongs to the paramyxovirus family.
How can you get infected
Measles virus is almost 100% contagious. A person who does not have immunity to this disease (who has not been vaccinated and has not previously been ill) has practically no chance of not becoming infected in case of contact with the patient.
Infection from a sick person through the environment is transmitted to everyone around. Sick from the last days of the incubation period (two days before the rash begins) and the next four days, during measles, breathing, coughing, sneezing (airborne droplets), measles virus. Further, through the cells of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and the respiratory tract, it penetrates the blood and affects the lymph nodes, blood capillaries (white blood cells). The rash appears as a result of the death of capillary cells. Further, secondary immunodeficiency syndrome develops , bacterial complications are also often found.
It should be noted that the causative agent of the measles virus cannot survive for a long time in the open air, objects and clothing. Although there are registered cases of infection through the ventilation system. It dies at room temperature on average after two hours, and after thirty minutes completely loses its ability to infect. Instantly, the virus dies when exposed to ultraviolet radiation and at high temperatures. Therefore, during the epidemic there is no need to disinfect the premises.
Who can get sick and when
Most measles victims are young children between the ages of two and five. Also, I am increasingly reporting cases of illness among adolescents aged 15-17.
Adults become infected with measles much less frequently. But most likely, this is due to the fact that in adulthood, most often there is already immunity from vaccination or from a previous illness.
It is impossible to get measles again. Reported cases can be regarded as an erroneous diagnosis at the first disease or a serious violation of the human immune system.
In Russia, the largest number of cases is observed in the spring and winter, from the end of November to May, with a frequency of every two to four years.
Can a baby get sick
Newborns during the first three months of life have persistent borrowed immunity from the mother, if she has been ill earlier. There is no immunity in children whose mothers were not sick and were not vaccinated, and they can get sick. It is also possible infection of the baby during childbirth during illness of the mother.
Incubation period
Like most diseases, it has an incubation period in the body and measles. The virus does not manifest itself externally for 7-17 days. At this time, starting from the 3rd day of the incubation period, only by means of a detailed analysis can typical large multinuclear cells be found in the spleen, tonsils, and lymph nodes. Outwardly, the symptoms of the disease appear only after the virus multiplies in the lymph nodes and enters the bloodstream.
Measles virus: symptoms
- a sharp rise in temperature to 38-40.5 degrees;
- dry cough;
- photophobia;
- headache;
- hoarseness or hoarseness of voice;
- impaired consciousness, delirium;
- disturbances in the intestines;
- swelling of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract;
- symptoms of conjunctivitis: swelling of the eyelids, redness around the eyes;
- the appearance of red spots in the mouth - in the sky, the inner surface of the cheeks;
- on the second day of the disease, white small spots appear on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity;
- exanthema itself appears on the fourth or fifth day, characteristic of its occurrence on the face and neck, behind the ears, then on the body and on the bends of the arms, legs, fingers, palms and feet.
A measles rash is a special papule surrounded by a stain and tends to merge (this is what distinguishes it from rubella, in which the rash does not have the ability to merge). After the fourth day of rashes, when the virus is defeated, the rash gradually disappears: it darkens, pigmented, and begins to peel off. Hyperpigmented areas with a rash will remain for another 1-2 weeks.
Measles in children
One of the most common and most dangerous childhood diseases is measles. The virus most often affects children of preschool and primary school age.
Before vaccines were launched in Russia and a free prevention program started, an average of one in four children died from this virus and its complications. Today, vaccines are given to all relatively healthy children at one year and at six years of age (according to the national vaccination calendar). If the child is not vaccinated, the risks of getting sick when meeting with the carrier of infection reach one hundred percent. Vaccinated children either do not get sick at all, or they tolerate the disease very easily.
The incubation period in an infected child can vary and averages from 10 to 15 days. At this time, there are no symptoms of the disease, but two days before the manifestation of the clinical picture, the child will be contagious to others.
Most often, children are seriously ill. First, signs of a common acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI) appear:
- temperature 38-40 degrees;
- severe dry cough;
- runny nose;
- weakness;
- lack of appetite;
- bad dream.
On the 3-5th day of the disease, a rash begins to appear - small pink spots merging with each other. In children, it occurs quickly and spreads throughout the body. During the appearance of the rash, the temperature after a seemingly visible improvement may again begin to rise.
In children from two to five years, measles is especially dangerous. The still-not-grown children's body is slowly coping with the virus and complications often arise due to the joined bacterial infection:
- otitis media;
- bronchial pneumonia;
- blindness;
- encephalitis;
- severe inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- laryngitis.
It is because of these complications that it is so important to show the child to the doctor in time and control the course of the disease. Complications often begin to show up after the child has recovered.
Measles in adults
Measles in adults is a rare disease. But if a person has already become infected, he cannot avoid problems. Adults after 20 years are ill seriously and for a long time. The acute period of the disease can last up to two weeks. Most often, the disease causes various complications, as well as a high probability of joining a bacterial infection.
Types of complications in adults:
- bacterial pneumonia;
- measles pneumonia;
- otitis;
- tracheobronchitis;
- disturbances in the central nervous system;
- laryngitis;
- croup (stenosis of the larynx);
- hepatitis;
- lymphadenitis (inflammation of the lymph nodes);
- inflammation of the meninges - meningoencephalitis (40% of cases of the disease which ends in death).
Thus, we understand that measles, whose virus is believed to be dangerous only for children, can cause serious illness in adults and even lead to disability or death.
Measles in pregnant women
It is easy to guess that a disease that causes so many problems cannot easily occur in a pregnant woman. But the biggest emotions in the future mother cause the possibility of problems in the baby. And not in vain.
Measles is the more dangerous for the fetus, the shorter the gestation period. In the first trimester, a sick woman with a probability of up to 20% will have a miscarriage, or, even worse, the disease will lead to serious fetal malformations (oligophrenia, damage to the nervous system, etc.). Unfortunately, it is simply impossible to determine these defects in early ultrasound examinations of the fetus and even during the first screening, and women are often offered to have an abortion.
If a pregnant woman falls ill after the sixteenth week, the prognosis is much more comforting. At this time, the placenta is already ripe enough to fully protect the fetus from the ailment of the mother, so that the probability of problems for the unborn child is quite low.
The danger reappears if mom gets sick before the birth. Not only will she simply not have enough strength due to the virus because of the birth, but the risks of infecting the baby during passage through the birth canal are very high. Of course, doctors today have all the means to save a baby’s life: both resuscitation and potent antibiotics. And most likely, the child can be cured. But why take such a risk if there is an opportunity to protect yourself and the child in advance? Every woman needs to be tested for antibodies to measles virus before she begins pregnancy planning. After all, if now you take care of your health and get vaccinated in time, then there will simply be no chance of getting sick during pregnancy.
Diagnostic Methods
Most often, the diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical data after the appearance of a characteristic measles rash. But in the laboratory it is possible to make a diagnosis earlier (or confirm it) by determining where the measles virus is located. Microbiology allows you to isolate virus cells from the blood, mucus of the mouth and nose, urine on the first day of the disease (even before the rash appears) and even at the end of the incubation period. Under a special microscope, one can see the characteristic luminous, with inclusions, giant oval-shaped cells.
Additionally, the patient may be prescribed:
- general analysis of urine and blood to exclude the attachment of a bacterial infection and the development of complications;
- a specific blood test for the detection of antibodies (serological IgG analysis for measles virus);
- chest x-ray or fluorography if suspected of developing measles pneumonia.
But in most cases, the diagnosis of the disease does not cause difficulties for the doctor and is done without the appointment of additional tests.
How to detect measles IgG
After contact with a patient with measles, each person begins to remember whether he was vaccinated himself or, perhaps, was ill in childhood. And if you overlooked, missed and did not vaccinate your own child on time? How to find out? There are also risks that the vaccine was not stored properly, and then such a tender virus could die before it was introduced into the body.
Now, in every laboratory, you can test for antibodies to measles virus (IgG). This method allows one hundred percent to verify whether a person has immunity to this disease.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for measles virus. As with all viral infections, the doctor will provide symptomatic treatment that alleviates the condition and prevents the risks of complications. Usually prescribed:
- drugs that lower the temperature and relieve general malaise, pain, fever ("Ibuprofen", "Paracetamol");
- anti-inflammation sprays and gargling with chamomile, "Chlorhexidine";
- mucolytics and expectorants for dry cough;
- to relieve symptoms of rhinitis and reduce the risks of otitis media - vasoconstrictor drops in the nose (up to 5 days) and rinsing with saline;
- to relieve irritation and itching from the rash, rinse with "Dilaxin";
- for the treatment of conjunctivitis - "Albucid" and "Levomycetin";
- to reduce the risks of developing blindness, patients are recommended to take vitamin A during the entire period of the disease;
- in case of pneumonia, antibiotics are prescribed.
Attention! In the treatment of measles, in no case should "Aspirin" be used, especially in the treatment of children under 16 years old. This can lead to the development of Reye's syndrome - hepatic encephalopathy.
Prevention
At the age of one year, all children receive free vaccination against the three most dangerous childhood infections (measles, rubella, and mumps). Revaccination for these diseases is carried out at the age of 5-6 years, before school. Doctors say that this vaccine is well tolerated by children, especially since they make it only for healthy children, so the risks of adverse reactions are minimal.
Everyone can easily make sure the vaccine has worked. For this, you need to pass a special analysis some time after the injection. Antibodies to measles virus are present if immunity has developed after vaccination.