Measles - a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It is characterized by abundant rash that covers the entire body, fever, cough and runny nose. A child with measles need bed rest, drinking plenty of fluids and, if possible, the isolation to avoid infecting others. Under isolation meant the content of the patient in a separate room and use their individual dishes, towels, and so on.

Symptoms of measles

The most obvious symptom of measles is an extensive skin rash, but before it appears dry cough Dry cough - whether to worry about it? , Runny nose, fever and redness of the eyes. A characteristic feature of measles are Koplik's spots - small red spots with blue-white centers that appear in the mouth. Skin child with measles, it looks reddish, rough and flaky. Usually, a rash appears on the forehead, then spreads all over the face, neck and body.

Measles - highly infectious disease. 90% are not vaccinated against her people living in the same house with patients infected with measles. The disease is transmitted through airborne droplets or by physical contact. A person with measles, it is contagious 1-2 days before the onset of symptoms; the chance of infection is maintained for approximately 4 days after the rash appears.

Currently, children in Russia and many other countries make the mandatory vaccination against measles Vaccination against measles - will protect your baby from serious childhood infection . Despite this, every year hundreds of recorded cases of the disease, which, however, is very low compared with those who were before the introduction of compulsory vaccination.

Prevention

Currently, children are vaccinated against measles and other diseases soon after birth. The action of the vaccine starts in about 72 hours. Vaccinations do not only rarely - for example, in certain allergic reactions in children.

Side effects of vaccination

Vaccination against measles can cause side effects, including, in generally healthy children. The most common reaction is a rise in body temperature between day 6 and 12 after vaccination (occurs in approximately 5-15% of the children who were vaccinated). Approximately 5% of children after vaccination appear rash, resembling symptoms of measles. The child is sick with measles and is not contagious. The rash goes away on its own within a few days.

Treatment

Measles there is no specific medication - the virus gradually to pass himself. The symptoms persist, on average, within two weeks. At this time, the child should get plenty of rest and avoid staying outdoors. If he has a high fever and headaches, you can use OTC antipyretic such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen Ibuprofen: anti-inflammatory drug . Do not give your child aspirin - medicines containing acetylsalicylic acid, are associated with an increased risk of severe and often life-threatening condition - Reye's syndrome.

The state of children with measles should closely follow the doctor. In some cases, the anchor leads to complications such as otitis Otitis - than could face an ear infection , Croup, diarrhea, pneumonia and encephalitis (a severe infection of the brain). In some of these diseases require treatment with antibiotics or hospitalization.

In developing countries, children with measles often given vitamin A - it reduces the risk of dangerous complications. In developed countries, vitamin sometimes give patients measles for children aged 6 months to 2 years, which required hospitalization. In addition, vitamin A is recommended for all patients with measles for children older than 6 months, who have risk factors such as a weakened immune system and malnutrition.

  RF Law "On Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare of the Population" (1991) identified the list of mandatory vaccinations for children and the timing of their implementation. Today, our children are vaccinated necessarily against the following infections: tuberculosis, hepatitis B, polio, whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, measles and Haemophilus influenzae.

How is immunity after vaccination

Under natural conditions, in response to the introduction of any infectious agent body begins to produce antibodies that connect to an infectious agent (antigen). As a result, inactive form antigen-antibody complexes which are then excreted, that is formed immunity to the infection. How long will be developed such antibodies it depends on the characteristics of the infection. For example, after suffering measles and chickenpox immunity will persist for life, but after only a few months of flu.

But the problem is that in natural conditions, this "meeting" pathogen infection with the human body is almost always accompanied by illness, sometimes very serious. Therefore, we developed special products (vaccines), composed of attenuated or killed pathogens of various infections. The introduction of the vaccine is the same reaction of the organism, ie the production of antibodies. On this principle, all vaccinations. Other vaccines protect against a disease at different times, there are also a lot depends on the characteristics of the infectious agent.

Types of vaccines

Vaccines may be live (the causative agent of the disease in this case only weakened - vaccine against tuberculosis and polio), killed (or inactivated - vaccines against viral infections - measles, flu) and artificial (in the vaccine contains only the artificially created a piece of the infectious agent, "material "for which are usually bacteria - the latest generation of vaccines against influenza).

Also, one-component vaccine (monovalent, e.g. vaccine against tuberculosis and hepatitis B), and may be multicomponent. Today there is a tendency to create various multi-component vaccines that allow less vaccinate children. These vaccines include all the well-known DTP, which includes pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus. This vaccine is used for many years and is generally administered with polio vaccine. But today, went further, combining pertussis vaccine, diphtheria, tetanus vaccine against hepatitis B vaccine (Bubo Kok). There are other multicomponent vaccine.

Child immunization schedule

National immunization schedule is as follows:

The outbreaks are not excluded

Doctors emphasize that a few decades ago no one even questioned the need for childhood immunization because of the disease, which is protected by the vaccine, were very common, and the risk was very real. Fortunately, these diseases have become rare due to the successful practice of vaccination. However, therein lies a certain danger: we are so used to consider themselves protected from diseases that we neglect the importance of immunization. Do not underestimate the danger of deadly diseases, they can lurk very close: for example, some of your friends recently returned from Africa or street passer visited India or Asia and brought back something much less innocuous than the usual tourist souvenirs.

Travelling to increase the risk of disease

Usually parents say: "Let others do their children vaccinated, but we'll wait." However, in this game ahead of the curve rates are too high today travel and travel greatly increase the risk of disease. Children who are not vaccinated, are particularly susceptible to infections, and can be the source of the disease to others. In addition, a study published recently, showed that children are not immunized, at twenty-two times more at risk of measles Measles in children - may cause serious complications   and nearly six times greater - risk of pertussis than children immunized. Another study showed that children who are not immunized, thirty-five times more at risk of measles.

How do vaccinations

The vac tsinah used dead or attenuated microorganisms, which stimulate the immune system of the corresponding antibodies. These antibodies protect the baby from infection when germs get into the body of this dangerous disease. In general, vaccines have only minor side effects - cause skin irritation at the injection site, mild fever, valkost and a slight rash (measles and chickenpox). These manifestations often parents plunged into panic, and they immediately start to think about what the kid was ill, but in fact such a reaction to the vaccine indicates normal operation of the immune system.

Children whose immune systems are weakened by taking immune-suppressing drugs to fight cancer or AIDS should not be vaccinated triple vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella or chickenpox vaccine, since the components of live virus can cause an attack of their disease. Particular caution should be exercised as to parents of children with allergies - they need to consult a doctor regarding the MMR vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella (it contains gelatin), influenza vaccine (it contains eggs) and hepatitis B (containing yeast).