I remember last year, when mumps cases were springing up among the college -age population, into epidemic proportions. Those most effected were students who had not received the mumps vaccine.
Now, I read measles is making a comeback, primarily in individuals who are not vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. NPR ran a great story about this phenomenon, and how devastating the disease can be (especially to infants under 1 years of age, and children whose immune systems are compromised or suppressed).
Not to get into a debate on vaccinations, what do you think of the measles outbreak? So far there have been 131 cases (three times the number reported last year), according to NPR article.
This is scary to me, as my son is not even two years old! Does anyone remember, or have family, who lived through any of the measles epidemic? NYT reports: Measles was once an "uncontrolled scourge" and infected three million to four million Americans annually. the typical rash and fever were most common, but complications include pneumonia and encephalitis (inflammation of brain tissue). "In bad epidemic years, some 48,000 Americans were hospitalized, 1,000 more were chronically disabled, and 400 to 500 died".
What do you think of this?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93866209&ft=1&f=1066
Also reported in New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/opinion/24sun2.html