Measles spreads as MMR scare persists in St Albans (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Measles spreads as MMR scare persists in St Albans

6:26pm Wednesday 11th February 2009

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HEALTH bosses worried at the low take-up of the MMR vaccine in the St Albans area have revealed that 37 children caught measles last year in Hertfordshire.

The research which sparked an 11-year autism scare in 1988 has been progressively discredited, with an investigation published last week revealing serious flaws.

But in West Hertfordshire, which includes the St Albans district, only 80.5 per cent of children have had the triple vaccine before their second birthday – way below the national figure of 84 per cent and a sharp drop from the 92 per cent rate achieved before February 1988, when Dr Andrew Wakefield claimed there was a link with autism and inflammatory bowel disease.

Since then, the results of several comprehensive studies have backed the official view that there is no link.

For example, Japanese researchers showed in 2005 that autism rose steadily in their country even after the vaccine was withdrawn in 1993.

Last week, an investigation by the Sunday Times concluded that Dr Wakefield had distorted the results of his research.

It found that his claim that 12 children had shown symptoms of autism and bowel disease within days of their jabs was not supported by medical records, and in many cases medical concerns had already arisen before the vaccinations.

The original Wakefield research was widely publicised and vaccination rates soon dropped to levels from which they have never recovered, with middle class areas like St Albans proving most distrustful of official advice.

Doctors' fears that the lack of immunity will produce a major measles epidemic have been supported by a sharp increase in cases across Great Britain, with 1,348 including two fatalities last year, compared to only 56 the year before the scare.

West Hertfordshire's director of public health Jane Halpin said: “The MMR vaccination gives protection against measles, mumps and rubella (German measles). MMR is given to children aged 12 – 15 months and again before starting school at three to five years of age.

“Measles, mumps and rubella are viruses that are easily passed on by close contact, coughing and sneezing. All three are often mild illnesses but can be potentially more serious. For example although most people will get over measles without too many problems, around one in 20 will develop an ear infection and about one in 100 will need to be admitted to hospital because of complications.

“Mumps and rubella can also be serious conditions – for instance if contracted during pregnancy they can both cause miscarriage, and rubella can cause babies to be born with heart problems, deafness, blindness or other major problems.

“The main reason for the low uptake in vaccination rates is that some parents are worried that MMR is linked to autism or bowel problems. Researchers in many countries have not found evidence of any link between MMR and these conditions.

“There are great benefits for children to have the vaccine which protects them from measles, mumps and rubella, which for some children can be a serious illness. I understand the anxieties that this issue generates but parents need to be aware of how important it is for their children to receive this vaccination."

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