The UK is in the grips of a rapidly growing measles outbreak, which is the largest since monitoring began in 1995. 449 cases have been reported during the first five months of this year, according to the Health Protection Agency. Health authorities are bracing themselves for a significant outbreak this year.
Reluctance by parents to allow their children to receive the MMR vaccine is probably the main reason for the current outbreak, say most health care professionals.
In 2003 there were 438 cases during the whole year. This was considered as a very high year. In 2004 there were 191 cases. Estimates place the total number of cases for this year at well over one thousand.
In 1988 there were 86,000 notifications of measles – this was just before children started receiving the MMR vaccine.
Dr Mary Ramsay, a consultant epidemiologist with the Health Protection Agency, said ?We have been experiencing a number of localized outbreaks this year, the largest of which have been in the Surrey and Sussex and the South Yorkshire areas. These outbreaks have been amongst communities where MMR uptake is lower and have also involved cases in traveling communities who are more difficult to reach with health interventions such as vaccines. Our local Health Protection Units are working closely with local health services to try and increase uptake in these communities. Despite these outbreaks public confidence in the MMR vaccine is returning, and coverage is increasing as a result. Coverage among two year olds in June 2005 was 83%, up from 78.9% in January 2003. This is an encouraging trend although much more remains to be done in order to ensure that all children are fully protected. Parents should be reminded that is not too late to get their child immunised with the MMR vaccine: a complete course of two doses will protect their child against measles, mumps and rubella.?
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today