Adults should not be complacent when they contract measles.

NDO - Recently, the number of measles cases has tended to increase across many provinces and cities, especially in densely populated areas. The Center for Tropical Diseases at Bach Mai Hospital is currently treating many measles cases.

Many of us think that measles mainly affects children and has been controlled by vaccines, but in reality, adults can also contract measles and may experience complications that significantly affect their health.

A 38-year-old male patient, NVA, with a history of good health and residing in Thanh Hoa City, experienced a continuous high fever for 5 days, accompanied by a sore throat and upper respiratory tract infection. After 3 days, a rash appeared, initially on the back of the face and spreading to the entire body, accompanied by itching and discomfort. In the following days, he experienced abdominal pain and loose stools 4-5 times a day.

After being admitted to the provincial hospital with a diagnosis of fever and rash, and with no improvement after treatment, the patient developed a persistent cough and was transferred to Bach Mai Hospital.

At the Center for Tropical Diseases, after examination, doctors discovered the patient had a rash suspected to be measles, along with upper respiratory tract inflammation. Examination of the throat revealed Koplik spots (white dots) on the mucous membrane of the right cheek, and additional symptoms included red, irritated eyes and swollen eyelids. Tests confirmed a measles virus infection. After 5 days of intensive treatment, the patient recovered and was discharged without complications.

A 37-year-old female patient from Nam Dinh province, THB, experienced a fever at home for three days, accompanied by a red rash that started on her face and neck and spread to her entire body. She also had a sore throat, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and shortness of breath. Upon admission to Nam Dinh Hospital, she was diagnosed with measles/leukopenia, elevated liver enzymes, and pneumonia. After antibiotic treatment, her condition did not improve, and she was transferred to Bach Mai Hospital. There, after further testing, she was diagnosed with measles complicated by pneumonia. Currently, after three days of treatment, the patient is out of critical condition.

VTT (21 years old) is a student in Dong Da, Hanoi . Three days before being admitted to the hospital, the patient developed a fever, accompanied by a rash that initially appeared on the face and back of the neck, then spread to the whole body, along with coughing, watery eyes, and a runny nose. The patient was diagnosed with an allergy, and after testing positive for measles, was transferred to the Center for Tropical Diseases.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Do Duy Cuong, Director of the Center for Tropical Diseases, Bach Mai Hospital, measles is an acute and dangerous infectious disease transmitted through the respiratory tract, caused by viruses of the Paramyxoviridae family.

Recently, due to the changing weather in northern Vietnam, the center has been receiving many adult patients hospitalized with measles. The measles virus is highly contagious through the air or droplets, and those most susceptible are unvaccinated children or adults with low levels of antibodies in their blood.

Measles in both adults and children can cause dangerous complications such as encephalitis, pneumonia, conjunctivitis, keratitis, secondary infections leading to otitis media, enteritis, and other infections that significantly affect health and can even be life-threatening.

Many adults mistakenly believe that measles only affects children, and therefore do not seek medical attention or treatment. For pregnant women, measles can also negatively impact the mother's health and affect the fetus, especially during the first three months of pregnancy.

Recently, Ho Chi Minh City declared a measles outbreak in August 2024, and in previous years, several localities had reported numerous community cases of measles. The Ministry of Health has issued guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of measles. Healthcare workers need to pay attention to the characteristics of measles to ensure timely testing, diagnosis, isolation, and treatment, avoiding missed cases and late detection, which could lead to community spread.

Measles, like several other infectious diseases such as diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus, can be safely prevented through vaccination. The current measles vaccine for adults is the 3-in-1 MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine, which helps prevent the disease and its complications. In addition, maintaining environmental and personal hygiene, improving overall health to boost immunity, and wearing a mask when in contact with sick individuals are also important.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nguoi-lon-khong-chu-quan-khi-mac-benh-soi-post850905.html