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Measles making a comeback 死灰復燃的麻疹

(added on 2019/04/03)

©2019 SpatioEpi.com
Data source: Data for the map were obtained from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Map created by CUHK SpatioEpi Group

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Before the introduction of the measles vaccine, measles outbreaks were widespread around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), measles caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year in the pre-vaccination era. Nowadays, with high coverage of safe and effective vaccine, measles is an uncommon disease in the developed countries. In 2000, the United States declared measles eliminated, a target defined as the reduction of local new cases to zero. However, imported cases of measles could still occur. In areas with low measles vaccination coverage, local measles outbreak through on-going transmission remains a possibility.

Between 1 January and 21 March 2019, a total of 314 measles cases were reported in the United States. On the map, the states reporting measles outbreaks, defined as 3 or more cases, are shown in red dots, which include California, Illinois, New York, Texas, and Washington. The vaccination coverages in these states were below 93% in 2017. In particular, the coverage in Washington state was below 90%. The low coverage has enabled measles virus to re-emerge.

Measles vaccination with MMR or similar vaccines is the most effective way to protect an individual against infection by measles, mumps, and rubella virus. On a population level, high coverage of vaccination is needed to achieve herd immunity, which indirectly reduces the infection risk of others in the community.

Data for the map were obtained from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

在麻疹疫苗出現之前,麻疹爆發是隨處可見的。根據世界衛生組織報告,在疫苗普及前每年由麻疹引致的死亡人數大約二百六十萬。現時,由於廣泛推廣及接種安全而有效的疫苗,麻疹在已發展國家是一種不常見的疾病。美國政府在2000年宣告已消除麻疹(其定義為再沒有新的本地個案),但是外來輸入個案仍然時有發生,並有機會在沒有足夠疫苗覆蓋率的地方傳播,引致社區爆發。

由2019年1月1日至3月21日,美國共有314宗麻疹報告。地圖顯示爆發州份 (多於2宗報告個案) ,包括加利福尼亞州、伊利諾伊州、紐約州、德克薩斯州和華盛頓州。這些州在2017年的麻疹混合疫苗覆蓋率都低於93%,其中華盛頓州更不足90%。低覆蓋率導致麻疹病毒在社區死灰復燃。

接種麻疹疫苗(MMR或相關混合疫苗)是有效預防個人感染麻疹、腮腺炎和水痘等病毒的方法。要預防麻疹在人群中傳播,必須提高疫苗覆蓋,才能維持整個社區的群體免疫力,減低其他人的感染機會。

Related Article

Measles 麻疹

What is measles? 什麼是麻疹?
Measles is a highly infectious disease caused by Measles virus. Incubation period usually ranges from 7 to 18 days.
Affected persons present initially with cold-like symptoms, such as runny nose, sneezing and cough. Other early symptoms include fever, sore and red eyes and small greyish-white spots in the mouths. These are followed 3 to 7 days later by red-brown blotchy rash, which usually spreads from the head or upper neck to the rest of the body.
The infection usually clears in around 7 to 10 days, and lifelong immunity will be developed. Serious complications like pneumonia and encephalitis do occur, and could cause death especially in children under the age of 5.
麻疹是由麻疹病毒引致的疾病,具高度傳染性,潛伏期一般為7至18天。
患者初時會有與傷風相似的病徵,如流鼻水、打噴嚏及咳嗽,其他感染初發病徵則有發燒、眼紅眼痛及口腔內出現白點。3至7 天後皮膚會出現污斑紅疹,通常由頭部或上頸擴散到全身。
大部分患者可於7至10天內自行痊癒,並有終身的免疫力。麻疹會引起肺炎及腦炎等併發症,對五歲以下兒童構成嚴重威脅,可以導致死亡。

How does it spread? 如何傳播?
Measles virus can be spread by droplets that come out of the nose and mouth from an infected person during coughing or sneezing. The virus can also be transmitted by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected persons, or articles soiled with nasal or throat secretions. An infected person can be infectious from the time of symptoms development until about four days after appearance of the rash.
麻疹病毒可經患者打噴嚏或咳嗽時所噴出的飛沫傳播,直接接觸病人的鼻喉分泌物或被鼻喉分泌物污染的物件亦可傳播麻疹病毒。麻疹患者自出現病徵到出疹後四天內均可把病毒傳染他人。

Vaccine? Prevention? 如何預防?
There is no specific treatment for measles, but vaccination is effective to prevent the disease. Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine can be administered by injection for immunisation against measles. Children should follow the recommended schedule of local childhood immunisation programme for vaccination.
現時並沒有特效藥物治療麻疹,但接種疫苗可有效預防此病。現時麻疹的免疫接種主要是注射麻疹、流行性腮腺炎及德國麻疹混合疫苗,兒童應根據當地的免疫接種計劃的時間表接種疫苗。


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