DHAKA — Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. On average, one patient with measles can infect 12 to 18 healthy people (R₀ 12-18), which is why it is called a highly contagious disease.
Measles tops the list of the fastest-spreading infectious diseases. An infected person can transmit the virus to 12 to 18 others on average, a sign of its very high transmissibility. It spreads faster than the COVID-19 and influenza viruses.
How measles spreads
The virus is airborne and can remain active in the environment for some time after the infected person has left. Without vaccination, a large outbreak can occur within a short period and risk rises sharply.
How the measles vaccine is made
The measles vaccine (MMR) is highly effective. To make it, the measles virus is weakened (attenuated) in a laboratory. The weakened virus cannot cause disease in the body but stimulates the immune system. The body then produces antibodies that can quickly fight off a future attack by the stronger virus.
This method is called a live attenuated vaccine, and it gives long-lasting and strong protection. Two doses provide about 97 percent protection. Without vaccination, the risk of pneumonia, diarrhea and even death rises in children.
Can adults catch measles?
Adults can also catch measles, especially those who have not been vaccinated or have weakened immunity. Adults can also receive the MMR vaccine, which is in many cases extremely important. Those who did not receive the vaccine in childhood, or are not sure they completed the full dose, can be vaccinated as adults. It is particularly important for health workers, students, international travelers and those who work in crowds. Many people think measles is only a childhood disease — that is wrong.
Measles symptoms
The main symptoms of measles are high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a red rash on the body. Small white spots inside the mouth, known as Koplik spots, may also appear.
There is no specific antiviral treatment for measles. Care usually involves rest, nutritious food, adequate fluids and treatment as advised by a doctor. Vitamin A can help reduce complications in many cases.
Measles complications
The most dangerous complication is brain inflammation, or encephalitis. When the brain is affected by complications of measles, especially when encephalitis or subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) develops, several important pathological changes are seen in brain cells, including neuroinflammation, demyelination, apoptosis, blood-brain barrier disruption and synaptic dysfunction.
This can lead to seizures, memory loss, abnormal behavior and speech problems. Permanent brain damage is possible. Behavioral problems, developmental delays and other mental and neurological complications may also follow.
The measles vaccine: a landmark discovery
Almost every country in the world now provides the measles vaccine routinely under national immunization programs. In Bangladesh, it is a crucial routine vaccine for children. But how did this vaccine come about?
A pivotal history of vaccine development
The measles vaccine was developed largely by John F. Enders and his colleagues. In 1954, they isolated the measles virus from the blood of a sick child named David Edmonston. That virus was later weakened through a special process to create the Edmonston-B strain, which was used in subsequent vaccine development.
In 1963, Enders and his fellow medical scientists used a genetically weakened measles virus, the attenuated Edmonston-B strain, to make the first successful vaccine. The weakened virus, when introduced into the body, prompts the production of antibodies without causing disease, antibodies that can later fight off an attack by the actual virus.
The measles vaccine was later refined and made safer, leading to the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. Enders contributed to the polio vaccine as well as measles, and he received the Nobel Prize for that work. The discovery is a milestone in world health history. The measles vaccine has so far saved hundreds of millions of children from death and disability, making it one of science’s greatest successes.
Conclusion
There is no room to take measles lightly. Timely vaccination is the safest and most effective prevention. Wearing a mask can offer some protection but is not a substitute for the vaccine.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report