Article: measles in Europe

[i*wish]

Have you all seen this?

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...0Do&refer=home

[sarahmck]

I know there are frequent outbreaks reported in the news here, primarily in the "bible belt" area. If I knew of a case, I would strongly consider exposing DD.

[Murihiku]

'Europeans also need to consider the impact of rising measles cases when visiting countries with poor access to vaccines and medical care, wrote Jacques Kremer and Claude Miller, measles experts at the WHO’s Institute of Immunology in Luxembourg, in an editorial. It’s unclear how many cases in places like the Americas are spread by visiting Europeans, they said.

“To see large outbreaks and high measles mortality in these regions after a reintroduction of measles virus from Europe would be embarrassing,” Kremer and Miller wrote.suggestion?'

So they are saying that people who are unvaxed for measles (and haven't had the measles) should not go to countries where there are lots of unvaxed and malnourished children?

Agree or diasagree with their suggestion?

[anewmama]

I think they are saying if your child hasn't been vaccinated and visits a country with low vaccination and poor health care, that should your child get sick there and require any intervention in the event of complications, that it could be a problem.

[nia82]

I'm from Germany. Every once in a while, there's a measles outbreak among people who don't vaccinate. The media persecutes those either religious or "oekos" (organic/natural living people) like it does in the US.... But it is way easier to get away with non-vaxxing as we do not have mandatory school entry vaccines - nobody cares at the school!

I personally wouldn't travel to countries with my kid where VPDs are prevalent and poor health care is available because if let's say he contracts measles, I want to be able to offer him clean water and medical care if necessary. I doubt we will ever go to a country like that - we strictly spend our money on trips back to Germany and surrounding countries.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by Murihiku

'Europeans also need to consider the impact of rising measles cases when visiting countries with poor access to vaccines and medical care, wrote Jacques Kremer and Claude Miller, measles experts at the WHO’s Institute of Immunology in Luxembourg, in an editorial. It’s unclear how many cases in places like the Americas are spread by visiting Europeans, they said.

“To see large outbreaks and high measles mortality in these regions after a reintroduction of measles virus from Europe would be embarrassing,” Kremer and Miller wrote.suggestion?'

So they are saying that people who are unvaxed for measles (and haven't had the measles) should not go to countries where there are lots of unvaxed and malnourished children?

Agree or diasagree with their suggestion?

Disagree, (unless you have an active case of mealses or knw they may have recently been exposed,) go where ever you want to unvaxed or not. To assume that just because a European is not vaccinated that they will then go off to one of these countries where there are unvaxed and malnourished children and spread the disease to them and they might die is rubbish IMO.

[gcgirl]

Wow, a whole 7 deaths in over 12,000 cases. And those are the reported cases.

Each death is a tragedy...but it doesn't sound like measles is wiping out the unvaccinated, does it?

[Sileree]

There have been over 36,000 cases since 2001, and 4 deaths in previously normal children under 20 years old.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by Sileree

There have been over 36,000 cases since 2001, and 4 deaths in previously normal children under 20 years old.

The question is, where they previously healthy?

And what are 29 yo doing with measles? Surely in normal situations they would have had the measles at age 5 or 6. Being age 20 and getting a childhood disease, would be dangerous in itself.

If I knew where they had measles outbreak and we were traveling, we would go there. For me, dh, and kids it would be a booster and for the grandchildren it would be a great opportunity to get natural exposure that confers life long natural immunity. :

[mijumom]

Originally Posted by Gitti

The question is, where they previously healthy?

And what are 29 yo doing with measles? Surely in normal situations they would have had the measles at age 5 or 6. Being age 20 and getting a childhood disease, would be dangerous in itself.

If I knew where they had measles outbreak and we were traveling, we would go there. For me, dh, and kids it would be a booster and for the grandchildren it would be a great opportunity to get natural exposure that confers life long natural immunity. :

So what would you do if your child is heading toward adulthood and has not contracted measles yet?

[Sileree]

Originally Posted by Gitti

The question is, where they previously healthy?

And what are 29 yo doing with measles? Surely in normal situations they would have had the measles at age 5 or 6. Being age 20 and getting a childhood disease, would be dangerous in itself.

If I knew where they had measles outbreak and we were traveling, we would go there. For me, dh, and kids it would be a booster and for the grandchildren it would be a great opportunity to get natural exposure that confers life long natural immunity. :

Exactly. Only 40% of cases were among those 5-14 like they should be when they get it. So many cases were among babies.