Hundreds of cases – British authorities sound alarm about measles

Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases of all. The virus is transmitted, for example, when coughing, sneezing or speaking. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and a reddish-brown rash. The virus can cause serious complications, such as encephalitis and, even after several years, a very rare but fatal long-term consequence: subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).

The risk of SSPE is highest in children under two years of age
SSPE is extremely rare in the United States and Western Europe due to widespread measles vaccination. Measles can be prevented with two doses of the vaccine. Tragically, however, infections occur again and again in infants who have not yet been vaccinated – for example, if an unvaccinated person suffering from measles was in a practice at the same time or hours before. The risk of developing SSPE is highest in people who contracted measles when they were younger than two years old.

So far the disease cannot be stopped. The first signs such as forgetfulness and irritability are followed by symptoms such as hallucinations and seizures. Mental decline, speech problems, muscle stiffness and swallowing problems follow. Death usually occurs one to three years after onset. Experts have long criticized the claim that it is just a harmless childhood disease.