Health News

The infectious disease measles spreads

Measles are spreading: The health authorities of the city of Lübeck are currently warning about the spread of measles among adults. In four patients, the disease was already diagnosed, the health department. It is to be feared that more people have been infected, said the head of the authority, Dr. med. Michael Hamerschmidt.

02/01/2011

"The disease is highly contagious," warned Hamschmidt, and "tricky because the first symptoms do not appear until eight days after infection." During the incubation period, however, it is already possible that other people have already been infected by the infected person. Especially people who were born after 1970 are at risk. These people should definitely check if their vaccine protection is still valid. The family doctor can answer all questions. If a vaccine protection no longer exists, this should be repeated under certain circumstances. "Against measles you have to be vaccinated twice, once is not enough," said the doctor. Those born before 1970 have a much lower risk of getting measles. Because either people are already vaccinated or have ever had measles before.

The four newly diagnosed measles cases, however, make the health authorities sit up and take notice. "We fear that the disease could spread in the population," warns. Hamer Schmidt. People who are known to have been in contact with the people already affected have already been informed by the authorities. If symptoms are noticed, a doctor should always be consulted, according to the head of the Lübeck health department.

In the case of infection with measles, most of the people affected initially notice no complaints. Only after eight days after the infection do the patients get very high fever and chills. Many initially assume that they have seasonal flu, because the typical rash for the disease occurs only a few days later. However, measles should not be taken lightly. In some cases, life-threatening sequelae such as lung or brain inflammation threaten.

There have been several major measles outbreaks in the past decade. In Hesse, a total of 223 people fell ill in 2005, and one person died as a result of the disease. In 2007, two measles outbreaks occurred again in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Bavaria. In the last year of 2010, there was a measles outbreak at a Waldorf school in Essen and at a clinic in Bavaria.

Hardly therapy options
An effective administration of drugs against the virus still does not exist. Patients need to keep bed rest and rest during the illness. Only to alleviate the symptoms, for example, antipyretic or cough syrup are used. Because the fever produces an increased need for fluids, sufferers should drink plenty of water and tea. Some studies have shown that the administration of vitamin A has beneficial effects on recovery. However, it is not yet known what the vitamin administration causes, so that the Robert Koch Institute recommends no such vitamin therapy in measles. (Sb)