Measles in Germany More than half of the cases in just one federal state

Almost a thousand measles diseases in Germany - one state particularly affected

Health experts say measles is one of the most contagious human infections. Nevertheless, they are still often dismissed as a harmless childhood disease. In the last year alone, almost 1,000 people in Germany have been infected with measles. More than half of the cases were recorded in a single federal state.

Most of the patients were not vaccinated at all

In the past few months, health experts reported an increasing number of measles cases in Germany. Although the infectious disease has been on the decline since the introduction of the measles vaccine some 40 years ago, measles eradication has been repeatedly curbed. Blame is that in this country too few people are vaccinated. This is also confirmed by new figures from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). As the experts in the current Epidemiological Bulletin (33/2018) report, most of the people who contracted measles last year were unvaccinated.

Last year, almost 1,000 measles cases were reported in Germany. Health experts point out that there is an effective vaccine against the dangerous infectious disease. (Image: Stock Photos-MG / fotolia.com)

Nearly 400 measles cases in the first half of the year

"In 2017, 929 measles cases were reported to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), including one death," reads the website of the institute.

According to the information 41 per cent of the patients (376 persons) had to be treated in a hospital.

By the end of June 2018, there were 387 cases of highly infectious disease in Germany.

In North Rhine-Westphalia there were most cases

In some regions, relatively few illnesses have been reported, others more so.

"In some federal states, the measles are rarely seen, as in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Saarland or Saxony-Anhalt," writes the RKI.

Other federal states such as Berlin, Bavaria or North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) are therefore affected more frequently.

According to the data, the highest number of cases was transmitted from NRW with 520 measles cases (56 percent of all cases recorded nationwide).

In particular, one city stood out: "The largest outbreak with a total of 465 measles cases according to reference definition began in Duisburg in January 2017 (with a total of 332 cases) and was subsequently transferred to other urban and rural districts in NRW," said the RKI.

High population density increases disease risk

The experts also explain why measles cases are becoming more common in major cities.

On the one hand, people in Germany generally live together more densely than in most other European countries, and on the other hand, measles cases imported by tourists, students and migrants particularly reach the metropolitan areas.

"Here, the likelihood of meeting people who for different reasons have not been vaccinated yet and who can get measles," writes the RKI.

As the experts report, most of the persons who were ill last year had information about the vaccination status.

Thus, 82 percent of them were unvaccinated, 18 percent "had already received one or more measles vaccine at the outbreak of measles."

Infection can be fatal

Measles are highly contagious. The disease is transmitted by droplet infection. It begins with flu-like symptoms such as high fever, cough and runny nose. Later follows the characteristic rash.

In general, measles weaken the immune system. As a result, it can come to, among other things, bronchitis, otitis media or pneumonia. In rare cases, the infection can be fatal.

The disease is particularly dangerous in infants and toddlers.

No further decline observed

According to the RKI, the number of measles cases declined from 6,040 cases in 2001 to around 780 cases in 2003 following the introduction of measles registration in 2001.

However, for several years there has been no tendency for a further decrease in the number of measles cases transmitted to the RKI.

According to the experts, years have been replaced by fewer measles cases of years with sometimes extensive outbreaks and many measles cases.

Discussions about compulsory vaccination

In connection with the infectious disease is repeatedly discussed a possible measles vaccination in Germany. In Italy, such was introduced by law last year.

A majority of Germans would welcome the obligation to vaccinate, but many experts are against it. They rely more on education than vaccination.

In Germany, the measles vaccine is recommended for children from the eleventh month of life, for infants in a daycare from the ninth month.

Adults should also check their measles vaccine protection if necessary.

"A single measles vaccine is generally recommended for all adults born after 1970 who have not been vaccinated against measles or whose immunization status is unclear once in their childhood," the RKI writes on its website.

"Those born before 1970 are likely to have already gone through measles," say the experts. (Ad)