Dr. Blaylock Reports: Measles in the USA; Fact and fiction; Infectious disease; Treatment,

SUMMARY: Dr. Russell Blaylock reviews the recent outbreak of measles in the Southern USA, a disease eradicated in the USA over the past decades. With immigration infected people are admitted to the USA without the proper immunity and develop a measles infection that can have serious complications involving the Central Nervous System. It presents with fever, cough, runny nose, white spots inside the mouth, and then a rash from the fact to the body. Secondary complications can occur with diarrhea and middle ear infections. It is most rampant in immunocompromised people with inadequate nutritional status. It is highly infectious as an airborne disease or contact with infected people. There is no specific treatment for the disease. It is usually self limited with an extremely low mortality. In countries like Africa and Asia, measles infection mortality can reach 30% in malnourished, immuno-incompetent people suffering from other diseases. Vaccination, routinely given to the young, is helpful in developing a wide spread immunity to the disease. Global vaccination is helpful in lowering global mortality from this infection. Vitamin A supplementation, and proper nourishment are very beneficial in moderating this disease. (JIA)