There were 127,350 measles cases reported in Europe and Central Asia last year, double the number of cases reported the previous year and the highest number since 1997, an analysis by the WHO and UNICEF showed.
Measles outbreaks in West Texas and New Mexico in the US are now up to more than 250 cases, and two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that is airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and was considered eliminated from the US since 2000.
Photo: AP 照片：美聯社
In the US, cases and outbreaks are generally traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.
Do you need an MMR booster?
The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.
Photo: AFP 照片：法新社
People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago might want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those might include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.
Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally do not need measles shots now, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.
Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.
Photo: AP 照片：美聯社
People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s do not need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who do not know which type they received.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough; red, watery eyes and a rash.
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever might spike to more than 40°C, the CDC said.
How can you treat measles?
There is no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
Why do vaccination rates matter?
In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95 percent — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”
However, childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.
(AP)
根據世界衛生組織及聯合國兒童基金會的分析，去年歐洲和中亞地區通報了127,350個麻疹病例，是前一年通報病例數的兩倍，創1997年以來新高。
美國西德州和新墨西哥州的麻疹疫情目前已超過250例，兩名未接種疫苗的人死於麻疹相關原因。
麻疹是由一種具高度傳染性的病毒所引起，這種病毒可透過空氣傳播，並可透過感染者的呼吸、打噴嚏或咳嗽而輕易傳播。該疾病可透過疫苗預防，且自2000年以來被認為已在美國絕跡。
在美國，病例和疫情一般都可以追溯到在國外感染的人。隨後疾病便會傳播，特別是在疫苗接種率較低的社區。
需要接種MMR追加劑嗎？
避免麻疹的最佳方法是接種麻疹、腮腺炎、德國麻疹（MMR）混合疫苗。建議兒童在12至15個月大時接種第一劑，而在4至6歲時接種第二劑。
國際聯盟「全球病毒網絡」的史考特‧韋佛表示，多年前接種過疫苗且感染風險較高的人，若生活在疫情爆發的地區，可能需要考慮接種加強劑。這些人可能包括與麻疹患者一起生活的家庭成員，或因原有之疾病而呼吸系統特別容易患病的人。
美國疾病管制與預防中心（CDC）表示，具有「推定免疫證據」的成年人現在一般不需接種麻疹疫苗。其判定標準包括早年接種過足量疫苗的書面證明、經檢驗確認過去曾感染，或出生於1957年之前（因當時大多數人可能自然感染）。
CDC表示，若擔心免疫力減弱，再注射一劑MMR疫苗是無害的。
有證明在1960年代接種過活性麻疹疫苗的人無需重新接種疫苗，但在1968年之前接種過由「滅活」病毒製成的無效麻疹疫苗的人，應重新接種至少一劑。不知自己接種的是哪類疫苗的人也應接種， CDC表示。
麻疹的症狀有哪些？
麻疹會首先感染呼吸道，然後蔓延至全身，引起高燒、流鼻水、咳嗽、眼睛發紅、流淚和皮疹。
皮疹通常在出現首個症狀後三至五天出現，一開始是臉上出現平面紅斑，然後向下蔓延到頸部、軀幹、手臂、腿和腳。CDC表示，出現皮疹時，發燒可能會超過攝氏40度。
麻疹該如何治療？
麻疹並沒有特定的治療方法，因此醫師通常會嘗試緩解症狀、預防併發症，並讓患者感到好過一些。
疫苗接種率為何重要？
在疫苗接種率較高的社區（超過95%），麻疹等疾病更難在其中傳播。這稱為「群體免疫」。
但自COVID-19疫情爆發以來，全美的兒童疫苗接種率下降，且越來越多的家長以宗教或個人良知為由，不讓孩子接種所規定注射的疫苗。
（台北時報林俐凱編譯）
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