Measles, Mumps & Rubella
WHAT ARE THESE DISEASES?
MEASLES
MEASLES is a serious disease. It is very easily passed from one
person to another. It causes a high fever, cough, and a rash and lasts for 1 to
2 weeks. In recent years, 3,000 to 28,000 cases of measles have been reported
yearly in the United States and outbreaks still occur. One out of every I 0
children who catch measles will also have an ear infection or pneumonia.
Measles can also cause an infection of the brain that could lead to
convulsions (seizures, fits, spasms, twitching, jerking, or staring spells),
hearing loss, and mental retardation. This happens to about 1 out of every 1,000
children reported to have the disease. In the (United States, 1 child out of
every 500 to 10,000 who gets measles dies from it.
Babies and adults who catch measles are often much sicker and are more
likely to suffer longer or die than elementary school children and teenagers
with measles.
MUMPS
MUMPS causes fever, headache, and. swollen, painful glands under the
jaw. Mumps sometimes can be a very serious disease. It lasts for several days
and it is easily passed from person to person. In recent years, 4,500 to 13,000
cases of mumps have been reported each year in the United States and outbreaks
still occur.
Mumps can cause a mild inflammation of the coverings of the brain and spinal
cord (meningitis) in about 1 person in every 10 who get it. Swelling or
inflammation of the brain is reported in about 1 case out of every 200. Before
there was a mumps vaccine, many children had hearing loss caused by mumps. About
1 out of every 4 teenage or adult males with mumps will have a painful swelling
of the testicles for several days. This usually does not make the person unable
to father children. Teenagers and adults, especially males, who catch mumps are
often much sicker and more likely to suffer longer than children do.
RUBELLA
RUBELLA is also called German measles. In recent years, only a few hundred
cases of rubella were reported each year. It is usually a mild disease that
lasts for a short time. BUT if a pregnant women catches the disease, rubella is
very dangerous to her unborn baby. Up to half of the women who catch rubella
when they are pregnant will lose their babies or have babies born with heart
disease, or babies who will be blind or deaf, or who have problems with
learning. In the United States, before there was a rubella vaccine, many
thousands of babies with these serious health problems were born to mothers who
caught rubella while they were pregnant.
People who catch rubella usually have a mild fever, swollen glands in the
neck, and a rash that lasts up to 3 days. Rubella may cause soreness in the
joints and swelling of the joints (arthritis). This may happen in up to 70 out
of every 100 women. Usually this lasts only for a week or two but in rare cases
it may last for months or years, or may come and go.
People who do not get the rubella vaccine are in danger of catching rubella
and passing it on to a pregnant woman. About I out of every 10 women in the
United States is not protected against rubella.
WHAT ABOUT THE VACCINES AND THEIR BENEFITS?
The vaccines to protect against all 3 diseases are usually given together in
1 shot, called the MMR vaccine. One MMR shot protects 90 to 98 people out of
every 100 against measles, mumps, and rubella if they get the vaccine at the
right age. Usually a child gets the first MM R at I5 months of age, but
sometimes it should be given at 12 months of age, or even earlier during an
outbreak. To protect the few children not protected by the first MMR, a second
MMR is recommended when a child enters school for the first time or when a child
enters middle school or junior high school.
These vaccines protect nearly all people for a very long time, probably for
life. However, if an outbreak of measles occurs, doctors may recommend a second
MMR shot. Teenagers and adults who do not know if they are protected against
these diseases should ask their doctor or clinic about getting the MMR.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF THESE VACCINES?
Most people who get the MMR vaccine will not have a problem. Others will
have minor problems, such as a sore or red arm that lasts for 1 to 2 days.
Rarely, a person may have a serious problem.
If you or your child receives the MMR, there is a chance that any of the
problems listed below could happen. If problems occur, they almost always happen
after the first shot. If you or your child receives only the measles vaccine, or
the mumps vaccine, or the rubella vaccine, you should only look for the problems
listed for the vaccine received.
Mild or Moderate Problems From the Vaccines
MEASLES VACCINE:
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A rash may occur from I to 2 weeks after receiving the measles vaccine.
About 5 children out of every 100 will get a rash.
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A fever of 103 degrees or higher after receiving the first shot of
measles vaccine, even though the child may not act sick. About 5 to 15 young
children out of every 100 who receive the vaccine get such a fever. This
could happen from 1 to 2 weeks after receiving the vaccine and usually lasts
1 or 2 days. The fever occurs less often after a second shot.
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MUMPS VACCINE:
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A little swelling of the glands in the cheeks and under the jaw that
lasts for a few days. This could happen from 1 to 2 weeks after getting the
mumps vaccine. This happens rarely.
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RUBELLA VACCINE:
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Swelling of the lymph glands in the neck or a rash that lasts 1 or
2 days. This could happen 1 to 2 weeks after getting the rubella vaccine in
about 1 child out of every 7 who get the vaccine.
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Mild pain or stiffness in the joints that may last up to 3 days. This
could happen from 1 to 3 weeks after getting the shot. This problem happens
to about 1 child out of every I00 who get the shot and to about 25 adults
out of every I00. Women have this problem more than men and it may happen in
up to 40 women out of every 100. Rarely, pain or stiffness can last for
months or longer and can come and go.
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Painful swelling of the joints (arthritis) happens to fewer than 1 child
out of every 100 who get the rubella vaccine. About 10 adults out of every
100 can also have this problem, which usually lasts a few days to a week.
Rarely, this swelling has been reported to last longer, or to come and go.
Damage to the joints is very rare.
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Pain or numbness, or "pins and needles" feeling in the hands
and feet that lasts for a short time. This happens rarely.
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More Serious Problems From These Vaccines
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Children 6 months through 6 years of age who get the vaccines can, in
rare cases, have a brief convulsion (fits, seizures, spasms, twitching,
jerking, or staring spells). This usually occurs 1 to 2 weeks later, and
usually comes from the fever caused by the measles vaccine. Very rarely,
hearing loss has been reported, but it is not known whether hearing loss is
ever caused by these vaccines. Very rarely, a person can have inflammation
of the brain after receiving the vaccine. This usually clears up completely.
These brain problems have been reported to happen about 1 time for every
million MMR shots given.
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There is a rare chance that other serious problems and even death could
occur after getting the vaccines. Such problems could happen after taking
any medicine or after receiving any vaccine.
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ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE VACCINES GREATER THAN THE RISKS?
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Yes, for almost all people. These diseases make some people very ill.
Almost all people who get the vaccines are protected from these diseases. A
small number of people have problems after getting the vaccines. The
problems that may happen after receiving the vaccine occur much less often
than when a person has the disease.
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Experts believe that most people should receive these vaccines. After
reading this and talking with your doctor or nurse, you can decide whether
there is any reason for you or your child to delay getting or not get the
vaccine.
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