Measles outbreak in Moscow: why an almost defeated virus has become active again

At risk – any person who does not have immunity

In Moscow, another outbreak of measles. This time, the outbreak was found in a busy place – among three employees of the Sadovod market. This was reported by Rospotrebnadzor. And although 680 market employees were promptly vaccinated after the discovery of a dangerous infection, the risk of the spread of the infection still remains. Who is at risk and what to do, learned “MK”.

Once upon a time, Russia was confidently following the path of elimination (freedom from) measles. Such a goal was set by the World Health Organization and was to be achieved by the end of the 20th century. But then something went wrong: the deadlines were repeatedly postponed, and now this goal is remembered less and less. The last time the elimination period was postponed was in 2018 to 2025. Then the pandemic began – and it was not at all up to that. As the well-known doctor, professor, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, expert of the WHO Committee on Expanded Immunization Vladimir Tatochenko recalls, in 2015 there were 27 cases of measles in Russia. And in 2017 – already 3 thousand. The current situation looks like this: for the week from July 31 to August 6, 2932 cases of the disease were registered in the country; for the previous week – 2985 (data from Rospotrebnadzor).

“The problem is that we have a huge number of people who are not the “immune layer”. That is, those who refused vaccinations. Some parents are reluctant to vaccinate their children against diseases they rarely experience. But these diseases are rare only when the majority of the population is immunized. And if someone in the environment gets sick with measles, an unvaccinated child will definitely become infected. By the way, WHO cites data that in the world in 2000-2014, measles vaccination reduced global mortality by 79% and prevented 17.1 million deaths, ”said Irina Shestakova, a well-known infectious disease specialist, in an interview with MK.

As a result of the outbreak of measles in different regions of Russia, they are already becoming a new reality. An increase in the incidence of measles in Russia began to be recorded in March. By April, cases had been identified in more than 40 regions of the country. Against the background of statements by Rospotrebnadzor that we have vaccinated 95% of the population, the situation looks strange: 90% vaccination coverage is enough to stop the transmission of the virus.

For example, in Moscow in the spring, cases of measles were already detected in the capital’s universities (Moscow State University, Russian State University of Oil and Gas named after I.M. Gubkin, Polytechnic University and MGIMO). But then the capital’s Department of Health reassured the population that the infections were isolated, and mostly unvaccinated residents were infected. To date, 564,000 people have been vaccinated in Moscow, according to Rospotrebnadzor.

In the event of an outbreak of measles in one place or another, everyone who is in the outbreak is vaccinated first. There is even a special decree on this matter: the environment must be vaccinated within 24 hours from the moment the infected are discovered. Calmness can be maintained by those who have antibodies to measles in their blood (such an analysis can be passed). The presence of antibodies indicates either that the effect of the vaccine is still working, or that you once had this infection (then immunity will be lifelong). In fact, the period of immunity developed after vaccination has not been reliably established: someone says that it is at least 10 years, someone calls the figure 30 years. Therefore, if you have been vaccinated for a long time, it is better to take an antibody test and, if anything, revaccinate.

Recall that measles is considered one of the most contagious viruses in the world: up to 98-100% of non-immune contacts become infected (and, accordingly, fall ill). That is, the susceptibility to it is universal (highest in children under 5 years old). The virus is transmitted by airborne droplets, including through ventilation.

The disease is caused by the measles virus Measles virus, which is transmitted by airborne droplets. This disease was known several centuries before our era and until the 19th century it was considered one of the most formidable childhood infections, often ending in death. The first symptoms (high fever, cough, runny nose) appear on the 10-14th day from the moment of infection; and five days later a rash appears (first on the face, then it spreads throughout the body). Measles often gives dangerous complications: pneumonia, otitis media, blindness, hearing loss, mental retardation. Of the complications, the most dangerous is measles encephalitis (inflammation of the brain, occurring at a frequency of 1 per 1000 cases of the disease). Adults suffer the disease more severely than children. However, measles remains one of the leading causes of death among young children.

At risk are any person who does not have immunity, as well as employees of medical institutions, educational organizations, trade, migrants and nomadic populations. Taking into account the high contagiousness of the virus, it is better for those who have been at the Sadovod in recent days and do not have measles immunity to undergo immunoprophylaxis.