Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 6, 1 June 1992 — Measles immunization available [ARTICLE]

Measles immunization available

There is a serious outbreak of measles on O'ahu, with a cluster of cases on the Wai'anae coast. Between Jan. 31-April 10, 23 cases of measles were reported to the Department of Health, Epidemiology Branch (18 locally eontracted cases). This is triple the loeal cases that occurred in 1991. Because of the outbreak John C. Lewin, M. D., director of health, has lowered the recommended age for the first dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to 12 months. He is supported by the Amenean Academy of Pediatrics-Hawai'i Chapter, the American Academy of Family Practice, Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Hawai'i Medical Association and many private physicians. (The previous recommended age was 15 months.) Besides lowering the age for children, the Department of Health and other health agencies are holding immunization clinics in the Wai'anae area. Measles is preventable through immunization. Adequate protection against measles is only possible by getting two doses of measles vaccine or by having had the disease. The Department of Health recommends that: • Anyone born after 1956 should be immunized with two doses of measles vaccine. • If you don't know what immunizations you or your children have received, an added dose may give extra protection against the disease. • All children, 12 months or older, and adults born after 1956 ean go to these DOH-spon-sored clinics and receive a free measles shot. Measles immunization consent forms are being distributed to all students in the Wai'anae and Nanakuli lntermediate and High Schools. Forms may also be picked up at all elementary, intermediate and high school health offices and at the elinie sites. A parent or guardian must sign for anyone under 18 years. People planning to attend the clinics are encouraged to bring their immunization records for updating. Rubella activity There is also an increase in the cases of rubella associated with Japanese visitors on O'ahu.

Since Jan. 31, 10 cases of rubella have been reported. All 10 cases were imported. Even though all cases were acquired outside of Hawai'i, the potential for transmission to Hawai'ii residents exists. Measles and rubella are highly contagious diseases transmitted through the air, oftfen during the period before the rash begins. Suspected cases should be isolated and remain home from work or school for at least four days for measles and seven days for rubella, as recommended by the Department of Health. To report suspected cases of measles and rubella, eall the Epidemiology Branch at 586-4586. Risks • Measles ean cause very serious illness. Usually it causes a rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes lasting one or two weeks; but it ean cause more serious problems as well. • Measles causes an ear infection or pneumonia in one out of every 10 children who get it. • One child in every 1,000 who gets measles develops an inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), whieh ean lead to convulsions, deafness, or mental retardation. • About one or two out of every 1,000 ehildren who get measles die from it. • Measles ean cause a pregnant woman to have a miscarriage or to give birth prematurely. A Contagious Disease • People catch measles from other people. • Most measles cases are spread before a rash appears. • You ean get measles from an infected person who is coughing, sneezing, or simply talking. • Measles is so contagious that, before a vaceine was available, it struck nearly all children by the time they were 15-years-old and caused a great many deaths. • In the 10 years before measles vaccine became available, an average of 530,000 cases were reported in the United States, and over 450 people died eaeh year because of measles.