Measles vaccinations are safe and recommended for most people, with common side effects including mild rashes and fevers. Less common but more serious side effects include allergic reactions and low platelet counts. Pregnant women, children under one, and those with severe immune deficiency should not receive the vaccine. The vaccine works by building up immunity to the virus, and boosters are recommended for adults and older children.
Measles vaccinations are widely regarded by the medical community as safe. There are a number of side effects recorded, but the vast majority are quite mild – and all are usually better than actually getting the measles virus. The most common reactions are skin rashes and low-grade fevers; neither is contagious and usually lasts no more than a week. In very rare cases patients may experience blood problems, especially low platelet counts and allergic reactions. In most places, the vaccine is recommended if not required for nearly everyone. Some of the only people who shouldn’t get a measles vaccine are pregnant women, children under the age of one, and people with severe immune deficiency. It can be dangerous in these limited circumstances, but there are usually other things people in these situations can do to limit their susceptibility to the virus.
How does it work?
All vaccinations, including measles, are designed to help the body build up a tolerance and immunity to a particular virus so that the body never contracts it if exposed. The measles vaccine typically contains a denatured or “dead” version of some of the more aggressive cells of the virus. They’re not alive and can’t actually infect a person, but they carry the essential genetic code that allows the person’s immune system to create a tailored response. Therefore, if and when that person encounters an actual strain, the body will already know how to respond and will not become infected.
The measles vaccine was first available in 1963 as a single injection vaccination. In 1973, the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine became widely available in many places, promoting efficiency and better public health. The MMR vaccine is used in many countries instead of vaccinating diseases individually, but single injection vaccines are still used in some places. Much depends on local resources and health care guidance. These vaccines are usually given to children between the ages of 12 and 15 months, although some adults get them. Boosters are often recommended for adults and older children who may be exposed, for example, as well as people who received some of the earliest compounds in the 1960s and 70s.
More common side effects
The most common side effects of the measles vaccination include fever and a mild rash. Most studies estimate that fever occurs in anywhere from 5-15% of people who receive the vaccine, and 5% of recipients are likely to have a mild rash. Rashes often start at the injection site, although they can often spread; they are also common on the torso, especially the stomach and back.
Both the rash and fever tend to appear seven to 12 days after immunization and are of fairly short duration. Nor is it contagious. Sufferers often feel as if they have less energy and may prefer to rest at home, but there is no health reason why they should abstain from school or work.
more serious reactions
Less common side effects include allergic reaction and low platelet count, both of which can be quite dangerous. Allergic reactions are usually the result of an adverse reaction to one or more vaccine ingredients. Most medical shots consist of not only the denatured virus but also a number of suspension and stabilizing components, gelatin and neomycin being two of the most common. Reported allergy cases have almost always been related to these additional ingredients, not the virus itself.
Thrombocytopenia, or low platelet count, is often short-lived and is experienced by approximately one in every 35,000 recipients. In severe cases it can cause problems with blood clotting and organ function, but this is very rare.
More extreme side effects of measles immunization could include deafness, coma, or permanent brain damage. These serious reactions have been recorded in a few limited studies, but because they occur so rarely, medical officials have been unable to establish a definite cause-and-effect relationship between vaccination and these problems. A lot could have to do with individual body chemistry and pre-existing conditions. Experts almost unanimously say that the potential risk of these more serious consequences shouldn’t cause a person to give up on the vaccine, as the benefits and chances of it working are much more likely and even so important from a public health perspective.
Concerns with pregnancy and autoimmune conditions
Most medical professionals consider pregnant women and people with severely compromised immune systems to be in a class of their own when it comes to vaccines. In most cases, standard measles vaccines are not safe for people in either category. Even if the virus is denatured, it can be harmful to fetuses because the fetal immune system has usually not developed enough to create protection. The unborn child will not get measles, but could end up with serious defects or other health problems from the vaccine. It is for similar reasons that a measles immunization is not usually given to children younger than one year of age.
Similarly, people suffering from a disease that severely compromises the immune system, such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), leukemia or lymphoma, often lack the immune strength to develop resistance to the virus. The injection can put extra strain on the already fragile body and can lead to a variety of infections and organ failure, some of which can be fatal. The vaccine is generally not recommended for people who are undergoing cancer treatment with radiation, drugs, or large doses of corticosteroids for the same reasons.
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