Resurgence of measles in the world | opinion | The Voice Within

An alarming resurgence of measles is spreading in different regions of the world. With a high incidence, this disease is usually thought of as a childhood illness, although it can affect people of any age.

Immunization or poor living conditions increase its severity, but the most important risk factor (for hospitalization and death) is not getting vaccinated.

Argentina eliminated the endemic circulation of measles in 2000, and since then only isolated cases (including imports) or limited outbreaks have arisen, such as those that began in 2019 and extended into September 2020 due to the cancellation of vaccination schedules during the pandemic. because of Covid-19.

This health stability depends on keeping the special vaccine as part of the national vaccination program: triple viral (measles, rubella, mumps), indicated at 12 months and 5 years age

Millions of deaths will have been avoided between 1980 – before they received adequate vaccine coverage – and 2019 making this vaccine one of the best investments in public health in history.

However, a sharp decline in the vaccination rate is surprising the world.

A particular reason is the loss of health infrastructure in wartime regions. The available information shows an uncontrolled increase in the number of measles cases in African countries and regions of Ukraine.

Another obvious reason was the disruption of services during the pandemic; short, but heavy in the number of people affected.

What is new is the unusual outbreak of cases currently occurring in 45 of the 53 countries of the European community, without current wars or pandemics.

The main reason is that a large part of the population trusts the effectiveness of vaccines; in efficiency and safety.

Something happened 26 years ago

In February 1998, the scientific journal The Lancet published an article that would change the way vaccines are discussed in opinion groups.

Its author, the English doctor Andrew Wakefield, proposed a causal link between the triple viral vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) and “gastrointestinal problems that caused inflammation of the brain and possibly autism” (sic).

The methodology used in the work was uncertain. The sample was limited to 12 children, of which 11 were vaccinated against measles and showed non-specific intestinal inflammation. The relationship between this discovery and autism was made by the author, without consistent arguments.

However, MMR vaccination rates will begin to decline in the UK and later in other countries; and since then a debate has been established that has led and led several families to postpone or avoid this and other vaccinations.

It took many years, several scientific studies and admissions from Wakefield’s assistants about the sensitivity of that article for the link between autism and vaccines to be dismissed by the scientific community.

In 2004 it was published before it was published in The LancetWakefield had applied for a patent for a measles vaccine that would compete with MMR, which was described as a conflict of interest.

In 2010 his medical degree was revoked, and his behavior described as “irresponsible”, “unethical” and “deceptive”. The Lancet retracted the study, saying the findings were “totally misleading.”

Scientific arguments and popular beliefs, personal experiences and population data. Differences that should be assessed when new generations are exposed to diseases that are believed to have been eradicated.

* Doctor