Measles, Mumps, and Rubella

[WVBaker]

So many times during recent news reports, the wife and I will find ourselves saying why the sudden concern for this vaccination? When we were born, parents and doctors just felt there was no real concern.

I watched a doctor on television note that, if you were born before the 1960s, you may have never been vaccinated against measles because it was assumed you'd already been exposed to the virus. The belief at that time was that most people born before 1957 didn't need the vaccine because, nearly everyone was infected with measles, mumps, and rubella viruses at some point during childhood. Children would get one or more of these, be treated with perhaps over the counter remedies, recover and be sent back to school. It was just a part of being a kid.

Also, if you were vaccinated during or after 1963, do you remember which type of vaccine you got, live or killed? I certainly can't. The killed vaccine was done away with in 1967 because, it simply didn't protect against measles virus infection. It simply inactivated the measles virus you had. Current recommendations are that people who got that vaccine, or aren't sure of which one they got during those years, should get vaccinated anew.

So, show of hands, how many of you are getting your vaccination?

 

[WinniWoman]

I had the measles, mumps and chicken pox when I was a kid. Our pediatrician made house calls. I was born in 1956, so I must have had these illnesses in the 1960's.

 

[Conan]

"In the decade before 1963 when a vaccine became available, nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15 years of age. It is estimated 3 to 4 million people in the United States were infected each year. Also each year, among reported cases, an estimated 400 to 500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 1,000 suffered encephalitis (swelling of the brain) from measles."
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/history.html

Regarding "killed vaccine," I don't see that referenced in the CDC history.
"In 1963, John Enders and colleagues transformed their Edmonston-B strain of measles virus into a vaccine and licensed it in the United States. In 1968, an improved and even weaker measles vaccine, developed by Maurice Hilleman and colleagues, began to be distributed. This vaccine, called the Edmonston-Enders (formerly “Moraten”) strain has been the only measles vaccine used in the United States since 1968. Measles vaccine is usually combined with mumps and rubella (MMR), or combined with mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV). Learn more about measles vaccine."

 

[DrQ]

The problem is that when you have a partially vaccinated population, you could be infected at a later age when the dangers are intensified. I am an only child and never caught mumps, so even though I was born before those dates, I had to get the MMR vaccine. The anti-vaxers have put their children at a greater risk over the mostly debunked fear of autism from the vaccine (Thank you Mr. Intenet)

 

[WVBaker]

https://www.vaccines.gov/basics/types

"Inactivated vaccines"

Inactivated vaccines use the killed version of the germ that causes a disease.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I remember having the measles - IT WAS NOT MUCH FUN .

The fact that I have specific detailed memories of having it 58 years ago -
in 1961 / at 6 years old - would indicate how uncomfortable I was .

I had no complications or issues - Just a week of itchiness , bedridden , feeling lousy
AND waking up at night from all of the symptoms.

IF - I was a parent today of a young child - I would not want to put them through that - even if there were 0 % additional risks.

IN 1961 - my parents did not have that option / so Mom likely lost sleep when I did .
She also was providing " room service " while also taking care of my 3 younger siblings .

 

[Passepartout]

I had all the 'usual' childhood illnesses before the 1950's were done. I still have a chicken pox scar on my forehead. Of course, back then, polio had not been reined in.

Oh, how the memory of those times has passed. Childhood mortality was a reality. Millions died every year. And as organized public immunization (remember whole schools lining up for them?) fell out of favor, and whole diseases were deemed eradicated- like smallpox and polio, with chicken pox, measles and mumps close behind, we became complacent. "If nobody got the diseases, are vaccinations necessary?" Personal 'freedom' became more important than public health. And face it. Families got busier. There is ALWAYS something to do instead of taking Junior to get vaccinated.

The current outbreak of measles is just a wake-up call. Unless we return to actively vaccinating children, we will see a resurgence of diseases we thought were relegated to history's dustbin. Who wants a return to the 'crapshoot' of childhood. Out of your family, is there anybody who finds childhood disability or death to be acceptable?

Kids need to be vaccinated. Even adults who never got the necessary 'booster' and remain partially protected. People who refuse on whatever grounds to vaccinate their kids should be educated as to the risk and benefit, both to them, and their kids as well as society in general.

Soap box mode: OFF.

Jim

 

[VegasBella]

There are lots and lots of things that older people did when they were young that they didn't think twice about, that now people consider unsafe or unacceptable. Some of those things are things like riding in cars without seat belts and vaccinations. Even though many of us rode in cars without seat belts and experienced chicken pox and/or measles and we survived just fine, that doesn't mean they were safe things to do. Or even if the risk was relatively minor, it's not a risk worth taking because the consequences can be so devastating.

I firmly support vaccinations. Part of my reason is because both my son and I have immune system issues that make us more susceptible to the complications of diseases like measles and chicken pox.

 

[geist1223]

In my 20's while a 2LT in the Marine Corps at Camp Lujuene I went to the ER on base after work one day. The doctor on duty thought I was having allergies and gave me a steroid shot. Because I was not feeling better I went back the next evening. The CWO4 PA took one look at me and asked how long I had went walking around the base giving people the Measles. I told him about the night before. He looked up the records and the ER Doctor was a Psychiatrist. After all they are MD's. I was confined to my House for 10 days.

 

[Passepartout]

[Deleted] duplicate.

 

[geekette]

In our state, females of childbearing age must get MMR for marriage license (or did in 1992). I have no idea what vax or illnesses I had as a child, beyond chicken pox. I have had shingles numerous times, a nasty side effect of having had the pox. I was angry when shingles vax came out but insurance only approved for age 60+ and some docs wouldn't give it to younger patients. Seriously, preventing shingles pain and scarring is necessary for persons of all ages.

I think much of the concern these days is how much worse even common stuff like the flu can be. People die from the flu now. Most jobs I've held for the past decade + have required me to get the flu shot. There are usually medical and religious exemptions available but I honestly have neither reason to avoid inoculation, and do not want to be the carrier bringing illness to those that do exempt.

I've had pneumonia and know I don't want that again. Double plus ditto for pink eye. If there is a vaccine to avoid that forever after, sign me up! Or migraines. ugh.

 

[mentalbreak]

There are usually medical and religious exemptions available but I honestly have neither reason to avoid inoculation, and do not want to be the carrier bringing illness to those that do exempt.

Thank you! My child is unable to have the MMR vaccine and flu vaccine and with multiple cases recently confirmed in my state this scares the heck out of me.

 

[mentalbreak]

The problem is that when you have a partially vaccinated population, you could be infected at a later age when the dangers are intensified. I am an only child and never caught mumps, so even though I was born before those dates, I had to get the MMR vaccine. The anti-vaxers have put their children at a greater risk over the mostly debunked fear of autism from the vaccine (Thank you Mr. Intenet)

Speaking of Mr. Internet - these would be hilarious if they weren’t so true...

https://www.boredpanda.com/anti-vax...oogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

https://www.scarymommy.com/anti-vax-mom-protect-son-from-measles/

 

[stmartinfan]

I had measles, mumps and chicken pox and still remember how awful they were. Still have a few chicken pox scars. I got mumps when I was older (in junior high) so was sicker than normal. And my brother, who was a young adult, caught it from me and ran a fever so high our doctor worried about it causing infertility.

Several years later my sister who had young children ended up with encephalitis after her kids had measles. She was very ill and had some lifelong side effects.

I hate to think about children now having to deal with these illnesses because their parents grew up in a time when they mostly eliminated, so the parents don't appreciate the dangers.

 

[DrQ]

Thank you! My child is unable to have the MMR vaccine and flu vaccine and with multiple cases recently confirmed in my state this scares the heck out of me.

If your child can't be vaccinated, then you had best hope they be exposed early in their life rather than later.

When I was growing up, parents would have "chicken pox parties", "mumps parties" and "measles parties" to expose their children early (usually during the summer) to manage the illness. In todays vaccinated world, that's not an option anymore. You can't hide behind the heard immunity any longer.

I wish you well.

 

[moonstone]

Being born in the 50's I wasn't vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. I got the Red Measles, Chicken Pox and mumps as a small child but never got Rubella (German Measles) despite my mom making me share a room with my sister when she got them. Mom even sent me to play with several kids on my street when they had the German Measles so I could catch them but I never did. Many years later I had a miscarriage after DH & I were married and my doctor ordered a bunch of blood tests afterwards. One test revealed that although I had never had Rubella, I was a carrier for it! That explained why I never got it as a child. Since it is so dangerous to contract while pregnant I had to undergo modified vaccinations and follow up testing to make sure the vaccinations took before trying to get pregnant again.

My dad never had the mumps as a child but caught them at age 36 when my little brother got them. Dad was very sick and nearly ended up in the hospital. I still remember his neck being so swollen you couldn't see his ears or jaw line when looking straight at him.

I make sure to get a DPT (Diphtheria, Polio, Tetanus) shot every 10 years and I have also been vaccinated against Hepatitis A & B so hopefully I stay healthy.


~Diane

 

[DaveNV]

I work at a hospital. They require staff to be vaccinated, or have proof of it. I was in the Navy for 20 years, and have been vaccinated for more things than I can even remember - fun things like Hep A, B, C, typhoid and cholera. So while I remember being in a line in grade school with a shot card hanging around my neck to say which shots I was to receive that day, I have no proof of any of it, because we moved all the time, and my records were lost more than once.

To the credit of my hospital, they have allowed me to get a tider to check for inoculation against things. So far, I have not needed to get a new vaccine for anything.

Small victories. And I now have proof that I’ve been vaccinated.

Dave

 

[MULTIZ321]

Flight Attendant in Deep Coma After Deadly Infection Spread Onboard.


https://www.luxurytraveldiary.com/2...p-coma-after-deadly-infection-spread-onboard/


Richard

 

[bogey21]

Probably because I was a kid in the 40s and saw the havoc caused by childhood diseases (including polio) I make sure I have had every vaccination recommended by my Doctor, the most recent being the new Shingrix shingles vaccination. I have no idea if they are necessary or not. What I do know is that I remain in good health at age 84 and have not been negatively impacted by any of them...

George

 

[littlestar]

My mother had me and my sister vaccinated in 1963 for measles and we caught the measles within weeks of the vaccination. I was 5 and my sister was 3. I remember being very, very sick for about 2 weeks or so. Mom kept the house dark to protect our eyes. My baby brother who was 10 months old (and had just started walking) caught our measles and developed pneumonia and almost died - mom rocked him in a rocking chair for weeks and when he recovered he had to learn how to walk again.

 

[Patri]

My four siblings and I had chicken pox and measles, but only one sister got the mumps. I was kind of jealous. I am glad my kids were vaccinated against them, since the chicken pox were especially not fun. Now I also have an immune disease and cannot get the shingles vaccine. I have been so fortunate not to get sick much at all.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

I was vaccinated as a child in 1972, but medical records were lost, so when I went to Florida State University in 1995, I had to get an MMR, then a booster a few months later. It's one of those things that should be required for everyone, but if your records were lost and someone says you must have the MMR, it won't hurt to have it again.

TS