Mumps

The measles vaccine – as part of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine series – is a life saver. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control reveal that the measles vaccine has saved the lives of more than 20 million people around the world since 2000. If all the people whose lives were saved by the vaccine were gathered in one spot they’d exceed the population of China’s capital of Beijing, the second-largest city in the world. But there is still work to be done, with close to 90,000 people still dying from measles every year worldwide, almost all of them unvaccinated. DR. MARC SIEGEL: PREVENT NEEDLESS DEATHS -- GET VACCINATED FOR ALL THESE REASONS Current Centers for Disease Control recommendations call for two doses of the measles vaccine, “the first after the first birthday (12 to 15 months) and the second at school entry (4 to 6 years).” Actually MMR’s second dose can be given earlier . Currently, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have mandatory requi...

UPDATE: NO MORE cases of measles have be confirmed in the West Moreton health district since an alert was sent out earlier this week. But symptoms usually start about seven to 10 days after infection and sometimes longer so anyone who develops measles-like symptoms within the next fortnight should contact their GP for advice. For more information on measles visit the Queensland Health factsheet at health.qld.gov.au or contact 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84). EARLIER: A MEASLES alert has been issued after a female visited parts of Brisbane and Ipswich while unknowingly infectious. Queensland Health was notified of the case after the female, who lives in the West Moreton area, was diagnosed with measles after travelling interstate. West Moreton Health's public health physician Dr Vicki Slinko said residents in the Brisbane and Ipswich areas should be alert for symptoms over the next couple of weeks. Anyone who may have come in contact with the person who is uncertain of their immun...