Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:

Measles Vaccination
Pronounced (MEE-zills)

2009 Measles Update - Measles remains a common disease in many parts of the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 10 million people worldwide are affected by measles each year. It is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths among young children. Measles outbreaks are common in many areas, including Europe. Although the risk for exposure to measles can be high for many U.S. travelers and citizens living in other countries (expatriates), the illness can be prevented by a vaccine. Some examples of current measles activity include recent outbreaks in the United Kingdom and Burkina Faso. Additional details on the Travel Web site. Updated July 27, 2009

What You Should Know

• Brief description posted Sept 2009
  Symptoms, transmission, complications, etc.
• Questions and Answers Updated August 2008
• About measles and measles vaccination [34 KB, 2 pages] (compliant)
  Parent's Guide to Childhood Immunization
• Pictures of Measles Updated Sept 2009
  Warning: Some of these photos are quite graphic.
• Travelers information
  Information and updates on risks for travelers, precautions, prevention, etc.
• Global measles disease
  Goals and global elimination

Measles can be prevented by the combination vaccine: MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella). In 2005, a combination MMRV (measles-mumps-rubella-varicella) vaccine was licensed.

• Vaccination Options for Preventing Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella
  For Parents and caregivers: Fact Sheet and Q&As New Oct 2009
• Measles: Make Sure Your Child Is Fully Immunized
  Feature story
• Do I need this vaccine?
• Measles - Recommendations for Prevention Updated July 2008
• Side Effects of MMR vaccine
  Excerpt from Vaccine Information Statement
  
• Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
• Ask the Experts: Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
  CDC experts answer your clinical questions (Immunization Action Coalition)
• Questions and Answers about Measles, the vaccines, and precautions
• School Vaccine Requirements
• History of the MMR vaccine
  National Network for Immunization Information
• Decision Aid: Considering MMR vaccination for your child?
  An aid developed in Australia

• Febrile seizures after MMR-DTP vaccinations
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and MMR vaccine

Autism Theory

• Do vaccines cause autism?
• MMR vaccine does not cause autism: Examine the evidence [72 KB, 2 pages]
  Technical content reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nov. 2008
• Other scientists have not been able to reproduce the results claimed by Dr Wakefield and his team regarding measles virus
  WHO statement on the use of MMR vaccine 
• Is there any scientific evidence that proves a link between autism & vaccines?
  NIH, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

As with all vaccines, there can be minor reactions, including pain and redness at the injection site, headache, fatigue or a vague feeling of discomfort.

• Are vaccines safe?
  FAQs on The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website
• Multiple or combined vaccines and the immune system
• CDC's Vaccine Safety website
  • concerns | report a suspected vaccine reaction
   
• Lessening the Pain of Vaccines
  Techniques worth trying; on The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website

• What if we stopped vaccinating for this disease?
• Who should not be vaccinated with MMR vaccine?
• Pregnancy guidelines

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