Third death caused by measles in France: 17-year-old teenager lost his life in Bordeaux

Measles has a third victim in France in 2018, a 17-year-old girl died at the University Hospital of Bordeaux " from neurological complications " linked to this highly contagious virus, against which the population is inadequately vaccinated. " This is the 2nd death caused by this disease in New Aquitaine and the 3rd in France since November 2017 ", announced Friday the ARS of New Aquitaine in a statement. And the 23rd death due to the disease since 2008.

Measles had already killed on February 10 in Poitiers a mother of 32 years who had never been vaccinated and who contracted the virus while driving her father to the emergency room. . And June 9, he is a man who was taken to Marseille, the day before his 26 years. Born immunocompromised, he was " probably contaminated by an unvaccinated relative ", according to the agency Public Health France. " New Aquitaine is no longer in the epidemic phase " but the fight for vaccination continues, insists on its side the ARS.

Since November 6, 2017, 1,096 cases of measles were confirmed in the region (2,567 in France in total). One in four cases required hospitalization, twelve patients were transferred to intensive care and two died. " Nearly 90% of these cases were not or insufficiently vaccinated (2 doses needed) ," says the ARS.

Insufficient immunization coverage in France promotes this highly contagious disease : an infected person can contaminate up to 20 people

Skepticism in the country of Louis Pasteur

The country has avoided an epidemic like that which had affected 24,000 people between 2008 and 2012, including nearly 15,000 in 2011. But this does not prevent sometimes tragic complications (pneumopathies, meningoencephalitis, etc.) which, without systematic death, can cause serious sequelae.

Only drugs to relieve symptoms Measles can be given because there is unfortunately no treatment to cure this disease, says the ARS. The only effective way to protect against measles is preventive vaccination. This vaccine has existed since 1968.

The goal of the health authorities is to achieve, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), 95% of vaccination among people at risk. Adults born after 1980 belong to this category because at the time vaccination was gradually taking place and the virus circulated less, and many have never developed antibodies against the disease.

But the coverage with the second dose of vaccine, which guarantees immunity, currently varies according to departments between 62% and 88%, indicated Public Health France in March.

The country of Louis Pasteur is distinguished today by a skepticism against vaccines quite common in its population. Sometimes accused of being dangerous to health, sometimes to be guided by the financial interests of laboratories, campaigns for vaccination sometimes encounter hostility.

The government has therefore chosen the regulatory route to increase immunization coverage. Children born on January 1, 2018 must receive 11 vaccines, including MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). Before that, there were only three mandatory, and eight recommended. The vaccination of the population had already made it possible to go from 300,000 cases of measles per year in 1985 to 10,000 in 2000.