Measles. Mumps. Rubella

Vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) protects the child's body from these three seemingly non-fatal but very insidious diseases. Measles is a highly infectious disease - the number of susceptible people who will become ill after exposure to the virus exceeds 80%.

Measles - Measles is an infectious disease whose main symptoms are characteristic spots that first appear on the mucous membrane of the mouth and then spread throughout the body. The main danger of measles is that the disease is transmitted very quickly: even direct contact with a carrier is not required for infection. It is enough, for example, to visit a room from which a sick person has recently left. In addition, about a third of those who suffer from measles experience various complications, ranging from pneumonia to myocarditis and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Encephalitis is rare, but if it occurs, it is associated with a high mortality rate (approximately 15% cases result in death). In 25 % patients who survive, incurable disabilities remain. The disease is particularly difficult in young children.

In the Middle Ages, measles was often called the "childhood plague". Moreover, it is very dangerous for pregnant women: in this case, infection can lead to miscarriages and serious fetal disorders.

Rubella - Rubella is a systemic viral infection, a typical childhood illness seen in children aged 5 to 14 years. The course of rubella is somewhat similar to measles or acute respiratory infections: fever, red rash all over the body, and swollen occipital lymph nodes.

In children, rubella may not be noticed at all due to mild, intermittent symptoms.

Although rubella is so mild in children that it goes unnoticed, in adolescents and adults it can cause serious complications: arthropathy, CNS disorders and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Congenital rubella syndrome leads to miscarriages, stillbirths or multiple fetal defects.

The disease poses the greatest risk to adults and pregnant women who are not immune to it.

Epidemic mumps - is a highly contagious generalised viral infection characterised by painful swelling of one or two parotid glands. Mumps is popularly known as "mumps" because the patient has a very specific appearance due to the damage to the salivary glands.

Currently, mumps is most commonly affected not by children, but by adolescents and adults. In the older age group, its manifestations and consequences can be much more severe and even fatal. Complications of mumps include orchitis (inflammation of the testicles), mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland), meningitis (inflammation of the soft brain), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and arthropathy.

Unfortunately, there is no antiviral therapy for these diseases today, so only vaccination, i.e. measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination, can protect against possible complications.

PDA vaccination involves the administration of a multicomponent vaccine to a child that protects the body against viruses of three infectious diseases - measles, mumps and rubella.

Thanks to additional measles immunisation activities initiated by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, as of 01.11.2017, the level of implementation of the annual vaccination plan was 80.5% among children of the first year of life. The recommended level is 95%. To ensure vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella in Ukraine, the following vaccines are used: Priorix (manufactured by Glaxosmithkline Biologicals S.A, Belgium, combined vaccine for the prevention of measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, live attenuated - lyophilised powder for injection in monodose vials with solvent in prefilled syringes with two needles No. 1, No. 10, in prefilled syringes No. 1, No. 10, No. 20, No. 50 or ampoules No. 1, No. 10, No. 100) and M-M-R II (manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc. of the USA, combined vaccine for the prevention of measles, mumps and rubella; lyophilised powder for injection in multidose (2 doses) vials, No. 10, complete with solvent in ampoules, No. 10, in separate packaging).

Source: Public Health Centre of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine https://www.phc.org.ua/kontrol-zakhvoryuvan/imunizaciya/pro-zakhvoryuvannya-ta-vakcini