Homework answers / question archive / Altala 1 Kinda Altala Professor Ely Freedman ESL 119 30 April 2019 Resurgence of Measles Measles is amongst one of the world’s most contagious diseases

Altala 1 Kinda Altala Professor Ely Freedman ESL 119 30 April 2019 Resurgence of Measles Measles is amongst one of the world’s most contagious diseases

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Altala 1 Kinda Altala Professor Ely Freedman ESL 119 30 April 2019 Resurgence of Measles Measles is amongst one of the world’s most contagious diseases. Measles is caused by an RNA virus that enters the human body. This disease has been around for decades and has contributed to a significant number of child deaths on a national level. Measles can cause life threatening complications, such as brain damage and deafness. The people at highest risk are babies and young children (“Complication” par. 2). Prior to the development of the measles vaccine, there were approximately 6,000 measles-related deaths annually. In 1963, the measles vaccine was developed, and this drastically declined the number of measles deaths (“History” par. 3). However, the measles has resurged in the United States recently, and there have been measles outbreaks reported in many states. In 2019, there has been several reports of measles in many states. What is responsible for the resurgence of measles in the U.S.? Although there are various factors, the rate of vaccination, traveling outside the states, and vaccination hesitancy are the main contributors to the spread of measles in the United States. History: The history of measles in the US started decades ago. The first reported case occurred in 1912 (“History” par. 3). Before vaccination, measles was a fatal disease and caused immense numbers of deaths. About 4 million people were exposed to the virus each year, and of those who were infected, an average of 400 cases resulted in death. Furthermore, almost 50,000 were in critical condition and underwent hospitalization (“History” par.4). Vaccination Altala 2 was effective in eradicating measles in the United States in 2000. Nevertheless, measles was rediscovered in 2010 with 63 reported cases. The following chart shows the measles outbreak by number of cases in each following year. Photo 1 Measles Outbreak Cases (“Cases and Outbreaks”) Notice in 2014, there was a high reoccurrence of measles with a reported of almost 700 outbreak cases. Moreover, in 2018 there were 372 number of case, and that number has almost doubled in 2019. According to the CDC, the current measles outbreak as of April 26, 2019 is 704 cases. This number is very likely to change, and CDC update outbreaks weekly (“Cases” par. 1). This resurgence of measles in the U.S is mainly associated with unvaccinated travelers going in foreign countries that are experiencing high measles outbreaks. Description of Disease: The measles virus is easily transmitted through contact and noncontact with an infected person. The virus can be transmitted to an unvaccinated person through coughing or sneezing as well as touching a contaminated area or person and then touching one’s eyes, mouth, or nose. 90% of unvaccinated people exposed to measles will be infected (“Transmission” par. 1). Measles does not show any symptoms in its early stage after Altala 3 exposure in the human system. After about two weeks, it develops into a cold-like symptoms with high fever, coughing, and watery eyes. The most common symptom is the development of a rash that spread throughout the entire body. Another characteristic is grayish white spots in the roof of the mouth. The following image illustrates a patient with Koplik’s spots (“Signs and Symptoms” par. 1). Photo 2 Koplik Spots (“Signs and Symptoms”) Notice the cluster of small white to grayish spots. These spots can be an indicator of early signs of measles. There is no specific treatment for the measles once it enters the human body, yet there are different ways to protect individuals who have been exposed to the virus. First of all, unvaccinated people infected with measles can be given post-exposure vaccination with in 72 hours. Moreover, doctors may also prescribe antibiotics slow the reproduction of bacteria (“Mayo Clinic” par. 3). The best prevention is the MMR, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. The other kind of measles vaccination is the MMRV vaccine, and this is specifically for children 12 months to 12 years old. Two doses of vaccination are required in Altala 4 order for it to be effective. Two doses are about 97% effective against preventing measles (“Vaccination” par. 3). Rate of Vaccination: The rate of vaccination impacts the spread of the disease. Herd immunity is the practice of protecting the majority population from a disease through vaccination. This concept focus on preserving the health state of the general population. For instance, if a room filled with unvaccinated people, these people are at risk to be exposed to disease. On the other hand, in another room filled with vaccinated people, the chance of measles is little to zero. Herd immunity not only protects individual communities but also prevents the spreading to other people. In order for herd immunity to be effective, 90-95% of the population need to be vaccinated for measles. This is necessary because measles is highly contagious and can stay in the air even after the infected person left the space, and without vaccination, the virus will spread (Sadaranani, par. 4). In order to prevent increasing this infection, this solution can be highly effective to reduce the rate of outbreaks. According to the US data reported in CDC, the rate of immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella is children in 19-35 months is 91.1% (“Immunization” par. 1). Although measles can produce serious health complications, some parents make the decision to refuse to vaccinate their children. There are many reasons some people are against vaccination. Vaccine hesitancy refers to anyone who is hesitant about vaccinations or refuse immunizations. According to the article, “Exploring the Reasons Behind Parental Refusal of Vaccines” some parents refuse to vaccinate their children for many reasons such as religious reasons, personal beliefs, and safety concerns. Many parents refuse vaccination for religious concerns because “The animal-derived gelatin used in producing some vaccines as well as the Altala 5 human fetus tissue used in the rubella component pose” (McKee, par.7). Moreover, the greatest reason for vaccination refusal is for safety concerns. Many parents express concern that vaccination causes autism, behavioral problems, and brain damage. Parents use social media to warn other parents of the negative side effects and to stop vaccinating their children (McKee, par. 11). Parents concern for their child’s well being and health is a factor in the refusal or delay for vaccination. In conclusion, measles is more than just a rash with cold-like symptoms; it can produce serious health complications and is easily transmitted. Some people choose to vaccinate their children while others reject vaccination. Although each state has its own rules regarding vaccination, California state laws has made vaccines mandatory to prevent the spreading of disease and decrease the number of measles related deaths. Should other states also mandate the rules regarding vaccination for the greater good of the population? Each state has its own policy in controlling the measles virus and protecting the overall health state of individuals. Altala 6 Works Cited “Cases and Outbreaks.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 29 April 2019. Web. 29 April 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html “Complications.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and prevention. 5 February 2018. Web. 20 April 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/complications.html “Diagnosis & Treatment.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic. 7 September 2018. Web. 20 April 2019. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/measles/diagnosis-treatment/drc20374862 “History of Measles.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 February 2018. Web. 20 April 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/history.html “Immunization.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and prevention. 17 March 2017. Web. 20 April 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/immunize.htm McKee, Chephra and Kristin Bohannon. “Exploring the Reasons Behind Parental Refusal of Vaccines.” US National Library of Medicine. March 2016. Web. 20 April 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4869767/ Altala 7 “Measles vaccination.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 February 2018. Web. 20 April 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/vaccination.html “Photos of Measles.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 February 2018. Web. 20 April 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/photos.html Sadarangani, Manish. “Herd Immunity: How Does It Work?” University of Oxford. 26 April 2016. Web. 20 April 2019. https://www.ovg.ox.ac.uk/news/herd-immunity-how-does-it-work “Signs and Symptoms.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 February 2018. Web. 20 April 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/signs-symptoms.html “Transmission.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 February 2018. Web. 20 April 2019.