Child dies from complication of measles contracted years earlier
A school -aged child has died of a rare complication of measles contracted in early childhood, Health of the County of Los Angeles said on Thursday.
The child, who had been too young to be vaccinated when he was infected with the virus, died of a subabidic sclerosing panencephalitis, according to the County Health Department. The incurable disorder causes progressive brain damage and is almost universally fatal.
About 1 in 10,000 people obtaining measles develops disorder, but the risk is 1 in 600 for infants.
“This case is a painful reminder of the dangerous of measles, in particular for our most vulnerable members of the community,” said Dr. Muntu Davis, Health of Health of the County of Los Angeles. “Infants too young to be vaccinated count on us all to help protect them through community immunity.”
This was the worst year for measles in the United States in more than three decades, as infant vaccination rates are decreasing and national and international epidemics have spread. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 1,454 cases on Tuesday. Three people died.
The measles vaccine, mumps and rubella is safe and is 97% effective to prevent measles after two doses. Doctors recommend that children have been pulled over 12-15 months and a second at the age of 4 to 6 years.
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