Plea to parents to take up jabs amid measles surge

· Childhood infections trebled in past 11 weeks
· Both doses of MMR jab crucial, says paediatrician

Polly Curtis, health correspondent
Friday August 31, 2007
The Guardian

Public health officials last night issued an appeal for parents to vaccinate their children against measles, amid fears of an outbreak during the new school term. The move follows a surge in children diagnosed with the disease over the summer, with cases more than trebling in the past 11 weeks.

There have been 480 confirmed cases of measles in the UK so far this year, compared with 756 cases during all of 2006 (the most recorded in a single year), according to the Health Protection Agency.

The agency said there had been nearly 350 cases confirmed over the summer, when infections were usually at their lowest. The outbreaks were in the geographical areas with the lowest take-up of the MMR jab, which vaccinates against measles, mumps and rubella. Public confidence in the jab had fallen over concerns about its safety.

Mary Ramsay, a consultant epidemiologist with the agency, said: "Over the summer holidays we have seen more cases of measles being reported than we would normally expect. This means it is crucial that children are fully immunised with two doses of MMR before they return to school. Measles is a highly infectious and dangerous illness, and as there is increased close contact in schools it can spread easily." The midsummer surge in measles cases occurred among unvaccinated children of school age, a spokeswoman added. The majority were in London, the south-east and east of England.

In April last year a boy aged 13, from a travelling family in the north-west, became the first person in 14 years in the UK to die from the disease.

There are fears that there are more cases of measles going undiagnosed or not being counted by the agency. In Hackney, east London, an estimated 150 cases have been diagnosed since June in reportedly the worst single outbreak since records began in 1995; 28 cases were reported last week alone. Ten children in the borough were admitted to hospital last week, many suffering from pneumonia, officials in the primary care trust said. Emergency clinics are aiming to raise take-up of the jab.

Gabrielle Laing, a consultant community paediatrician for City and Hackney primary care trust, said: "With school starting next week we are urging parents to check their children have received both doses of their MMR vaccine. This is the only way to stay safe from measles and put an end to the current outbreak."

The triple MMR vaccine has been the subject of controversy since the Lancet journal published research by Andrew Wakefield and others suggesting a possible link between the jab and autism and bowel disease. But the Lancet later said numerous researchers had failed to prove a link between MMR and autism.

Dr Wakefield is appearing before the General Medical Council accused of serious professional misconduct in his research, which he denies.

Yesterday the Health Protection Agency said the main problem was the second dose of MMR; between January and March this year uptake of the first dose of the MMR vaccine - which is given to babies soon after their first birthday - was 88%. But for the second dose, given before the start of primary school, the uptake was only 74%, leaving many children unprotected.

Outbreaks of measles have been more common among children in traveller communities and other children who acquired it on trips abroad, but this summer's surge is being put down to the spread to other unvaccinated children.

Dr Ramsay said: "The increase in cases this year has been noted particularly in communities where vaccine uptake is lower, including in children on traveller sites, but cases are currently occurring in unvaccinated school-age children. Over the year there have also been small outbreaks in primary schools and cases in people returning from other countries."

Doctors must notify the agency if they suspect a case of measles. Laboratory tests are then carried out to assess each case.

FAQ: Virulent virus

What is measles?
A highly infectious viral disease, the symptoms of which include fever and distinctive reddish-brown spots

What's causing the outbreak?
Children not being immunised. There have been many cases among Traveller children, who are often not immunised, and among children who visit countries where there are no vaccination programmes. Some parents have opted out of the MMR triple jab because of fears over its safety, but more are simply failing to return their child for the second jab

Is MMR safe?
The scientific consensus is that it is. The government and most experts deny Andrew Wakefield's claim that there may be a link between the jab and autism and bowel disease