Complications Of Measles That Almost No One Knows About

Complications of measles that almost no one knows about

The complications of measles can be more severe than most people realize. Scientists described three cases of the disease in adults, which were complicated by appendicitis, hepatitis and meningitis.

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The complications of measles can be more severe than most people realize. In the BMJ Case Reports, scientists described the course of measles in three adults.

In the first case reported, a young man fell ill with measles who had received inadequate immunization from the disease in childhood. The disease was complicated by hepatitis - inflammation of the liver. In the second described patient, measles caused appendicitis, and in the third, meningitis, he complained of severe headache and visual disturbances. In the second and third patients, there was no confirmation of the vaccination.

All three patients recovered after treatment, none of them developed chronic problems.

Scientists note that measles suppresses the immune system, so complications can affect any organ. Almost a third of cases are associated with at least one complication. Common problems associated with measles include pneumonia, seizures, and encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord). In severe cases, measles is complicated by subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, which irreversibly affects the nervous system.

Scientists have linked the increase in measles incidence in recent years to widespread press coverage in the early 2000s of a refuted study that linked measles, mumps and rubella vaccines to autism. They emphasize that vaccination coverage must be high worldwide to maintain herd immunity and prevent new epidemics.