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Many US adults are unclear what vaccination, if any, was given against measles.
Getty
Adults who received measles vaccine between 1963 and 1967 can not be protected from the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Indeed, when the measles vaccine became available in 1963, there were two versions and only one was effective.
The first version & nbsp; early vaccine was inactivated, also known as "killed" measles vaccine. The other version was the live attenuated vaccine against measles, which was a weakened form of the virus. The killed vaccine & nbsp; was arrested in 1967 & nbsp; when it has been determined that & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; it did not actually protect against infection with the measles virus.
In 1968, a & nbsp; new version of the live measles vaccine has arrived on the market & is still used today. Since 1971, measles vaccine has been linked to the mumps and rubella vaccines of the three-in-one MMR vaccine.
If you were vaccinated between 1963 and 1967 & nbsp; but you do not know which version you have received, try to consult your vaccination record. Unfortunately, there is no national organization that keeps vaccination records and it can be difficult to find them. & Nbsp;
If you do not have written documentation, or if you have not had a blood test to prove that you are immunized, the CDC recommends that you bite the ball and take one or two more doses. "The MMR vaccine is safe and you will have no trouble taking another dose if you may already be immune to measles, mumps or rubella." & Nbsp; the agency says on its website.
A & nbsp; risk & nbsp; increased for travelers
According to CDC data, this year is about to be the worst year in 27 years of measles outbreak. From January 1 to April 11, there were 555 confirmed individual cases of measles in 20 states.
Elsewhere in the world, there is & nbsp; currently & nbsp;measles epidemics& nbsp; Brazil, Israel, Japan, Ukraine and the Philippines.
Several recent cases of travelers contracting and spreading measles have been reported, including:
- A 43-year-old flight attendant from the Israeli national airline El Al is in a coma after contracting measles on a flight from New York to Tel Aviv.
- Last month, a man caught measles on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo.
- Last month, a man who did not know he contracted measles returned from New York to Michigan and infected 39 people.
The CDC & nbsp; says that international travelers are at & nbsp; high risk & nbsp; of exposure and transmission of the virus & nbsp; and recommend the following:
- Infants aged 6 to 11 months should receive one dose of MMR vaccine. & Nbsp;Infants who receive one dose of MMR vaccine before their first birthday should receive two more doses (one dose between 12 and 15 months and another at least 28 days later).
- Children 12 months and older should receive two doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days.
- Adolescents and adults who do not show evidence of immunity to measles should receive two doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days.
Risk Assessment: When were you born?
Born before 1957? You are probably not & nbsp; vaccinated against measles but you are safe anyway. "Before vaccines were available, almost everyone was infected with the measles, mumps and rubella virus during childhood," according to the CDC website.
For two decades after 1968, most people vaccinated against measles received only one dose. & Nbsp; The CDC Measles FAQ page indicates that a dose of measles vaccine is effective at around 93% to prevent measles in case of exposure to the virus. Two doses have an efficiency of about 97%.
It was not until 1989 that health officials began recommending two doses of the live vaccine. There was a catch-up program in 1989, so some primary school students received the second shot at that time, but the guidelines varied from state to state.
Result: If you do not know which measles vaccine you have received or how many doses, prevention is better than cure and roll up your sleeves.
& nbsp;
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Many US adults are unclear what vaccination, if any, was given against measles.
Getty
Adults who received measles vaccine between 1963 and 1967 can not be protected from the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Indeed, when the measles vaccine became available in 1963, there were two versions and only one was effective.
The first version of the early vaccine was inactivated, also known as the "killed" vaccine against measles. The other version was a live attenuated vaccine against measles, which was a weakened form of the virus. The killed vaccine was stopped in 1967, when it was determined that it did not protect against measles virus infection.
In 1968, a new version of the live measles vaccine came onto the market and is still used today. Since 1971, the measles vaccine has been associated with the mumps and rubella vaccines contained in the MMR three-in-one vaccine.
If you were vaccinated between 1963 and 1967 but do not know which version you have received, you must check your vaccination record. Unfortunately, there is no national organization that keeps vaccination cards and it can be difficult to find them.
If you do not have written documentation or have not been tested for immunity, the CDC recommends biting the ball and taking one or two more doses. "The MMR vaccine is safe, and there is no harm in taking another dose if you may already be immune to measles, mumps or rubella," the agency says on its own. website.
Increased risk for travelers
According to CDC data, this year is about to be the worst year in 27 years of measles outbreak. From January 1 to April 11, there were 555 confirmed individual cases of measles in 20 states.
Elsewhere in the world, measles outbreaks are occurring in Brazil, Israel, Japan, Ukraine and the Philippines.
There have been several recent cases of travelers contracting and spreading measles, including:
The CDC states that international travelers are at high risk of exposure and transmission of the virus and recommends the following:
- Infants aged 6 to 11 months should receive a dose of MMR vaccine. Infants who receive one dose of MMR vaccine before their first birthday should receive two more doses (one dose between 12 and 15 months and another at least 28 days later).
- Children 12 months and older should receive two doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days.
- Adolescents and adults who do not show evidence of immunity to measles should receive two doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days.
Risk Assessment: When were you born?
Born before 1957? You probably have not been vaccinated against measles but you are safe anyway. "Before vaccines were available, almost everyone was infected with the measles, mumps and rubella virus during childhood," according to the CDC's website.
For two decades after 1968, most people vaccinated against measles received only one dose. The CDC's Measles FAQ page states that one dose of measles vaccine is about 93% effective in preventing measles if exposed to the virus. Two doses are effective at about 97%.
It was not until 1989 that health officials began recommending two doses of the live vaccine. There was a catch-up program in 1989, so some primary school students received the second shot at that time, but the guidelines varied from state to state.
Result: If you do not know which measles vaccine you have received or how many doses, prevention is better than cure and roll up your sleeves.