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Attenuated Measles Research Paper

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Measles The highly infectious disease known as measles is caused by the rubeola virus. The rubeola virus is a single-stranded RNA virus that is spread via contact with aerosolized particles from respiratory secretions. The incubation period for the virus is 10 to 12 days, and starts presenting as fever, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis, which last a few days. During this period, spots appear on mucous membranes of cheeks and lips that appear as gray-white lesions on a bright red surface. The rash that begins 14 days post exposure is characterized by an erythrematous, maculopapular eruption starting on the face/head, and spreading across the trunk and extremities, lasting approximately one week. This infection is systemic and can result …show more content…

In 1963 the first measles vaccine was licensed, but as it only contained killed rubeola virus, it was largely ineffective. Later on, in 1968, a vaccine with live, attenuated rubeola virus was licensed, and is still used for routine immunization of infants and children. Usually the vaccine is in combination with either mumps and rubella (MMR) or mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV). The recommended administration of this vaccine is in two doses; the first, between 12-15 months, and the second, between 4-6 years of age. If the first dose is administered before 12 months, the vaccine could fail due to the presence of maternal antibodies which can interfere with the infant immune response. While measles is a global issue, immunization has significantly decreased incidence in the U.S. and as a result the most cases come from either failure to immunize infants/children due to religion conflicts or other objections, or cases brought into the U.S. from other …show more content…

Since the introduction of the live attenuated vaccine in 1967, the incidences of mumps have declined significantly. The vaccine was implemented as a routine childhood vaccination in 1977, and is most commonly combined with measles, and rubella (MMR) or measles, rubella, and varicella (MMRV). Diagnosis is usually made based on clinical symptoms, mostly parotitis, but laboratory testing when that symptom is either absent, or could be due to other causes and differentiation is needed. There are reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods that can identify viral RNA, but they have yet to be standardized and cannot be used to identify immune status. Serological testing id still the simplest, and most practical way of confirming diagnosis and immune status. Out of numerous serological methods for the detection of antibodies, immunofluorescence and ELISA assays are the most commonly used because they are sensitive, specific, cost-effective, and readily performed in clinical laboratories. IgG antibodies to mumps become detectable after 7 to 10 days and persist for years. Presence of mumps-specific IgG antibodies is indicative of immunity either from past exposure or

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