Why do diseases of the past, like measles, start to scare Brazil again?



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On nine priority vaccines in the children's calendar, none reached the 95% vaccination target last year. Most of them averaged 70%. The data explain a phenomenon that worried health authorities: the return of diseases considered controlled. Yellow fever, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and the risk of poliomyelitis show how negligence with vaccination has brought to Brazil the diseases of the past, which are synonymous with delay.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, immunodeficiency diseases such as poliomyelitis and smallpox were endemic in the country. They caused a high number of cases and deaths. Vaccination actions, and in particular the 44-year existence of the National Immunization Program (NIP) of the Ministry of Health, have modified the epidemiological profile of immunopressible diseases.

The president of the Scientific Department of Immunization of the Brazilian Pediatric Society (SBP), Renato Kfouri, warns that, with a minimum of surveillance, diseases return. "The lesson is that the easing of vaccination actions is not good and at its price.The control and elimination of diseases continue with continued vaccination.This is a misconception to believe that the diseases do not infect because they cease to exist.Unless vaccination, the risks of these diseases of the past are constant. "

Brazil is already experiencing problems caused by the disease. Abandonment of vaccines. Measles returned to infect two years after being eradicated. The circulation of the virus in Venezuela and low immunization in Brazil triggered an epidemic in the north of the country, including Amazonas and Roraima. In all, six units of the Federation registered cases. Nearly a thousand people became ill this year. In addition, infant mortality had its first peak in 26 years. Since 1990, this has not happened.

The risk of contamination increased as the share of the vaccinated population decreased. Vaccines that protect against harm have fallen. The triple virus has grown from 96% coverage of the population in 2015 to 83.87% last year. The tetraviral went from 77.37% to 70.6% during the same period. The same thing happened with polio. Coverage rose from 98.29% in 2015 to 84.43% in 2016. Last year, a further decline: 77%.

But that does not stop there. Brazil experienced a rise in the number of hepatitis A cases in 2017, with 2,086 confirmed, compared with 1,206 in 2016, an increase of 73%. Between July 2017 and May this year, the Ministry of Health confirmed 1,266 cases of yellow fever in the country and 415 deaths. There were still 1,548 cases of pertussis, mumps outbreaks – the disease is not a mandatory notification, among other ailments.

The President of the Brazilian Society of Immunization, Isabella Ballalai, explains the risks of a vaccine boycott. "Do not vaccinate adolescents and adults is already a risk.The inability to protect children is even greater.The danger is to have back diseases that have been controlled, such as measles. Risk has ceased to be theoretical and has become a reality.These diseases, when they do not kill, leave severe sequelae.Polio has left countless families living with the after-effects of the disease to this day. "

The Ministry of Health warns that vaccination is of paramount importance to prevent diseases and their after-effects (such as deafness, blindness, paralysis neurological problems, among others) and, consequently, death, ensuring a quality of life for the entire population, as well as preventing the spread of disease. "In Brazil, there is still an individual ignorance about the importance and benefits of vaccines.In many cases, parents and caregivers do not see any other disease as a risk, as is the case With polio, it is therefore necessary to emphasize the importance of vaccination and to demystify the idea that vaccination can be harmful, "notes the agency in a note

Although Brazil is For example, it is essential to continue immunization to prevent reintroduction of polio virus in the country According to data from the World Health Organization, three countries are still considered endemic (Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan) In the case of measles, cases have been reported in some countries in Europe and the Americas, including Venezuela, bordering Brazil.

[19659002] Leonardo Weissmann, consultant to the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases, argues that the government and civil society unite to fight the problem and avoid setbacks. "We need to have a set of actions to regain belief in the vaccine.All depends on the correct information.The first thing to say is that vaccines are effective and important in preventing serious diseases."

Pedro Luiz Tauil, a specialist in tropical medicine and disease control at the University of Brasília (UnB), badesses the need for better control of recordings. "We need to see how states notify vaccination, it's important for us to know if there has been a reduction or if the notification is bad." In any case, the vaccine is the leading cost-effective health prevention measure that has revolutionized the world, we've eliminated many diseases with vaccines, smallpox no longer exists because of the vaccine, "he says.

Eduardo Espíndola, a specialist in infectious diseases, argues that these diseases are difficult to fight, but that control is possible. "We have not seen polio for many years, measles has been eradicated, and in pertussis cases we have noticed gaps in the immunization of mothers and babies." The most important thing is to monitoring to see the frequency Maintain a continuous control chart and not give up vaccines ", evaluates

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