Prevention and Control of Measles in Children
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease, which requires strict hand hygiene.
The best way to prevent it is by vaccination, but there are also other ways to prevent it.
Those methods include isolation and antibiotics.
The following tips can help you prevent measles. Follow these guidelines to protect your child from contracting the illness.
Also, follow these tips to avoid contracting the virus yourself.
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness
In most cases, the disease is mild and does not cause any complications, but in 1% of cases, it can lead to complications such as pneumonia or diarrhea.
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSE), a potentially fatal condition, is a rare complication of measles. This occurs when the virus becomes persistent in the brain, and it is often fatal.
Measles vaccination is the best way to prevent it
The best way to protect yourself from measles is by getting vaccinated.
The measles vaccine is a combination of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR).
The first dose of the MMR vaccine gives 93 percent protection, and the second booster dose improves this protection to 97 percent.
Traveling outside the U.S. and other countries can increase your chances of contracting measles.
Isolation
The primary goal of measles isolation is to prevent the spread of the disease.
The use of facemasks or other protective equipment for the nose and mouth should be followed for all contact investigations.
In case of doubt, the use of a facemask or other protective equipment certified by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is recommended.
In the event of doubt, contact investigations should be guided by the Guideline for Isolation Precautions (Guideline for Isolation Precautions).
Antibiotics
This review assessed the effectiveness of antibiotics in the prevention and control of measles.
It included seven controlled clinical trials. Five of these studies took place in Glasgow and London.
One was conducted in India in the 1960s, and another was published in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. These studies tended to use a different combination of antibiotics.
The duration of treatment varied.
Patients were given antibiotics for at least 10 days, and some complications were reported in approximately 1% of cases.
Avoiding measles during pregnancy
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can affect both adults and children.
Symptoms of the disease include a high fever, runny nose, cough, and red, itchy eyes.
Within one to two weeks, white spots appear inside the mouth.
Measles vaccination is not recommended during pregnancy.
But you can still protect yourself and your baby. The following are a few precautions to take.
Vaccination
Vaccination for the prevention and control of measles is an important public health strategy, especially among young children.
Measles was responsible for 2.6 million deaths globally before 1980 and is still the leading cause of death in children under five.
To achieve elimination, the Pan American Health Organization has set the goal of eliminating measles in the Americas by the year 2000.
The disease can be eradicated by ensuring that the population receives two doses of the vaccine, one of each of the two main types.
While the vaccine is equally safe, it is usually incorporated with the rubella vaccine.
Adding rubella to the measles vaccine increases its cost and allows for shared delivery costs.
Treatment
Measles symptoms in infants and young children have distinct characteristics.
Compared to older children, infants do not develop a fever, runny nose, or Filatov-Koplik spots.
In children, measles rash is small and does not last for more than two days.
Infants and young children may suffer from bacterial complications like pneumonia, otitis media, and intestinal upset.
Conclusion
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