A CHILD who suffered measles years ago has died from a rare complication of the disease.
Health officials revealed the school-age child had been infected with as an infant before they were able to receive the .
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) affects one in 10,000 unvaccinated people who contract measles
The child, from , had recovered from the infection, although the details of when have not been shared.
But they later developed subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare, progressive, and fatal brain disease that affects one in 10,000 unvaccinated people who contract measles, County Health Department announced.
SSPE, also known as Dawson disease, leads to neurological symptoms like intellectual decline, myoclonic jerks, seizures, and motor dysfunction, ultimately resulting in coma and death within a few years of diagnosis.
There is no cure, and mortality rate is around 95 per cent .
No further details, such as the child’s age or sex, have been released.
Dr Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County Health Officer, said in a statement the child’s case is “a painful reminder of how dangerous measles can be, especially for our most vulnerable community members”.
He added: “Infants too young to be vaccinated rely on all of us to help protect them through community immunity.
“Vaccination is not just about protecting yourself – it’s about protecting your family, your neighbours, and especially children who are too young to be vaccinated.”
The MMR is deemed the most effective way to protect against measles.
In the UK, receive the first dose of the MMR vaccine around their first birthday and the second dose around 18 months.
Babies under one year old have some temporary immunity from their mothers but are not fully protected from measles.
While the vaccine is not typically given under one year old, getting vaccinated yourself can provide protection against potential outbreaks, safeguards the community, and helps prevent the resurgence of measles, especially in light of rising measles cases.
Measles vaccination rates in the UK are currently below the World Health Organization (WHO) ‘s 95 per cent target, with a nationwide uptake of 84.5 per cent for two MMR doses by age five in 2023-24.
Factors contributing to the decline include parental misconceptions and the disruption of routine appointments during the COVID-19 .
On July 13 this year, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in shared the tragic news a after contracting measles.
Expert answers MMR questions
TO help deal with parental concerns, Professor Helen Bedford, a specialist in child public health at University College London, tells you all you need to know about the MMR vaccine.
When is the vaccine given?
The MMR vaccine is part of the NHS Routine Childhood Immunisation Programme.
It’s typically given via a single shot into the muscle of the thigh or the upper arm.
The first dose is offered to children at the age of one (babies younger than this may have some protection from antibodies passed on from their mother, which start to wear off at about 12 months.)
The second dose is then offered to children aged three years and four months before they start school.
To check to see if you or your child have had the recommended two doses of MMR, you can look at their/your Personal Child Health Record, also known as the red book.
If you can’t find the red book, call your and ask them for your vaccine records.
You are never too old to catch up with your MMR vaccine.
If you see from your that you did not receive two doses as a child, you can book a vaccination appointment.
Is the vaccine safe?
The MMR vaccine is safe and effective at preventing measles, mumps and rubella.
In the UK, we started using the jab in 1988, so we have decades of experience using it.
The jab is made from much-weakened live versions of the three viruses.
This triggers the to produce antibodies that are protective in the face of future exposure.
It takes up to three weeks after having the vaccine to be fully protected.
Like any vaccine, the MMR jab can cause side-effects, which are usually mild and go away very quickly.
This includes rash, high temperature, loss of appetite and a general feeling of being unwell for about two or three days.
There is also a very small chance children can have a severe allergic reaction.
But compared to the complications of , there is no contest that vaccination is by far the safest and most effective route to take.
Why was it linked with autism?
In 1998, Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a now-discredited paper in medical journal The Lancet.
The paper suggested that the MMR vaccine might be associated with and a form of .
It led to a sharp decline in rates.
Even at the time, the research was considered poor.
The Lancet retracted the story in 2010 after Wakefield’s article was found “dishonest” by the General Medical Council.
He was later struck off and subsequently, in 2011, the British Medical Journal declared the story fraudulent.
Does it contain ingredients from pigs?
There are two types of MMR jabs: One with gelatin (animal/pig collagen), and one without it.
For some religious groups, the inclusion of pig products is not acceptable.
Those people should ask for the vaccine without gelatin.
This marked the second death due to an acute measles infection in Britain this decade.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently warned of a surge.
Since 2023 there have been major measles outbreaks in the , the and , as well as sporadic cases across the country.
This has resulted in the highest number of cases in since 2012.
Over the , the UKHSA and England also issued warnings about high measles risk for holidaymakers, particularly as European countries and other parts of the world have seen outbreaks.
As well as making sure your child is up to date with their measles vaccinations, spotting symptoms of measles as early as possible can prevent the highly contagious nature of the virus from spreading…
The main symptoms of measles
MEASLES is highly contagious and can cause serious problems in some people.
The infection usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later.
The first signs include:
- A high temperature
- A runny or blocked nose
- Sneezing
- A cough
- Red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots may then appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips.
A rash tends to come next. This usually starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
The spots are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches. They are not normally itchy.
The rash looks brown or red on white skin. It may be harder to see on darker skin.
Complications are rare, but measles can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, seizures, and sometimes death.
Source: NHS
