Measles, mumps, and rubella are serious diseases. Before
vaccines they were very common, especially among children.
Measles
Measles virus causes
rash, cough, runny nose, eye irritation, and fever.
It can lead to ear infection, pneumonia, seizures (jerking
and staring), brain damage, and death.
Mumps
Mumps virus causes
fever, headache, muscle pain, loss of appetite, and swollen
It can lead to deafness, meningitis (infection of the
Brain and spinal cord covering), painful swelling of the
Testicles or ovaries,
and rarely sterility.
Rubella (German measles)
Rubella virus causes
rash, arthritis (mostly in women) and mild fever.
If a woman gets
rubella while she is pregnant, she could have a miscarriage or her baby could
be born
With serious birth
defects.
These diseases spread from person to person through the air.
You can easily catch them by being around someone
Who is already infected.
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine can protect children (and adults) from all three of these
diseases.
Thanks to successful vaccination programs these diseases are much less common in the U.S. than they
used to be.
But if we stopped vaccinating they would retourn.
No comments:
Post a Comment