MEASLES AND RUBELLA
1.Context
As the new year dawned, so did a crucial target for India. India had set a target to eliminate measles and rubella (MR) by 2023, having missed the earlier deadline of 2020, due to a variety of reasons, exacerbated by disruptions due to the pandemic
2.Measles and Rubella
2.1.Measles
The measles virus is one of the world’s most contagious human viruses that kills more than 1,00,000 children every year globally, and rubella is a leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)
Measles is caused by a single-stranded, enveloped RNA virus with 1 serotype
It is classified as a member of the genus Morbillivirus in the Paramyxoviridae family.
Humans are the only natural hosts of measles virus.
Over the past two decades, the measles vaccine is estimated to have averted more than 30 million deaths globally, as per the WHO’s statistics.
2.2.Rubella
Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus
Rubella can cause a miscarriage or serious birth defects in a developing baby if a woman is infected while she is pregnant
A rubella infection is mild for most people, but can cause death or birth defects in an unborn baby
The rubella vaccine is available in combined vaccines that also contain vaccines against other serious and potentially fatal diseases
3.Global Scenario of Measles and Rubella
The measles virus is one of the world’s most contagious human viruses that kills more than 1,00,000 children every year globally, and rubella is a leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)
During 2010–2013, India conducted a phased measles catch-up immunisation for children aged 9 months–10 years in 14 States, vaccinating approximately 119 million children
Mission Indradhanush was launched in 2014 to ramp up vaccinating the unvaccinated populationDuring 2017–2021, India adopted a national strategic plan for measles and rubella elimination, and introduced rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) into the routine immunisation programme
As of December 2021, five countries have been verified and have sustained measles elimination - Bhutan, DPR Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste. In addition, Maldives and Sri Lanka have sustained their rubella elimination status in 2022
4. Vaccination
The MMR vaccine is a vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella, abbreviated as MMR
The first dose is generally given to children around 9 months to 15 months of age, with a second dose at 15 months to 6 years of age, with at least four weeks between the doses
MMR vaccine can prevent measles, mumps, and rubella.
- MEASLES (M) causes fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, commonly followed by a rash that covers the whole body. It can lead to seizures (often associated with fever), ear infections, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Rarely, measles can cause brain damage or death.
- MUMPS (M) causes fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, and swollen and tender salivary glands under the ears. It can lead to deafness, swelling of the brain and/or spinal cord covering, painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries, and, very rarely, death.
- RUBELLA (R) causes fever, sore throat, rash, headache, and eye irritation. It can cause arthritis in up to half of teenage and adult women. If a person gets rubella while they are pregnant, they could have a miscarriage or the baby could be born with serious birth defects.
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Previous Year Questions:
1.Consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? A. 1 only Answer (B)
2.‘Mission Indradhanush’ launched by the Government of India pertains to (2016) A. immunization of children and pregnant women Answer (A) |
Source:Cdc.gov
