By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

The Unified Consulting Center of the Office of Rospotrebnadzor for the City of St. Petersburg, Russia reported since the beginning of the year, 46 measles cases have been registered, including 30 cases in children under 17 years of age.

Measles/CDC

While the measles epidemic from 2019 continues into 2020, the number of cases reported this period is less than the same period in 2019.

Measles  is a viral disease with airborne transmission. The source of infection is an infected person. The susceptibility to measles is very high. Almost all unprotected people who have had at least short-term contact with measles are infected. From 1 sick person, up to 18 people who have contact with him can become infected.

Clinically armature proceeds at a high temperature to 40 o C, rhinitis, conjunctivitis. From 4-5 days of the disease, a maculopapular rash appears. The rash is characterized by stages: first the rash appears behind the ears, on the face and neck, then the chest and trunk, then on the arms and legs.

In recent years, the diagnosis of measles is necessarily confirmed by the results of a blood test for specific measles immunoglobulins M.

Complications arising from measles dispel the misconception that measles is a mild illness. Complications occur in every 15 cases of measles. Inflammation of the ear (otitis media), sinuses (sinusitis), lungs (pneumonia), as well as inflammation of the meninges (encephalitis), leading to irreversible damage to the brain, can develop. Possible epileptic seizures, damage to the cornea of ​​the eyes and blindness, hearing loss, etc. There are fatal outcomes of the disease.

There is no specific treatment for measles.

The only reliable way to prevent measles is through immunization.