"A certain part of the population will always not be resistant to measles"
The first symptoms of measles can easily be confused with a cold, warned Vladimir Nikiforov, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology at the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University and chief Infectious Disease Specialist at the FMBA. This week, a case of infection with the disease was registered with a student of the Faculty of Philology at Moscow State University. Students of the first humanities building were transferred to distance learning. In the United States, according to WHO, an outbreak of measles has been recorded since the beginning of the year. About whether it is worth waiting for her in Russia this year and how to protect yourself from an extremely contagious disease, in an interview with Izvestia.
"It is possible to make an accurate diagnosis only after the appearance of a rash"
— In Moscow, a case of measles infection was recorded in a student of the Faculty of Philology at Moscow State University. In addition, last week the case was reported at the Moscow Institute of Radio Engineering, Electronics and Automation. Is it possible to talk about an incipient outbreak?
— An outbreak is an epidemic process characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of infectious diseases in people in the same territory that are associated with a common source of infection or transmission routes.
In the case of students, cases are rare, so there is no need to talk about an outbreak yet. But whether it will occur depends on how well others have been vaccinated. If they weren't, then all the students will get sick. But if the majority of students have been vaccinated against measles, then there will be no further spread.
— Why is the disease registered in students?
— Now the disease has been recorded in students of fairly large and renowned higher educational institutions, so it caused a greater resonance than if it were a question of detecting measles in employees of some small enterprises.
But there can be no 100% vaccination in almost any team.: someone has a medical withdrawal, someone will consciously write a waiver of it. Therefore, a certain part of the population will always not be resistant to measles.
— How long should the quarantine last? And what are the first symptoms of this disease?
— A measles patient is contagious in the last two to four days of the incubation period, which lasts up to 19 days. And also for 4-10 days after the rash appears, depending on the severity of the disease. Thus, the measles quarantine is on average 17 days. But when immunoglobulin is administered to the patient, it can take up to 21 days.
It is worth noting that measles does not have any pathognomonic symptoms, that is, unambiguously indicating the disease, in the first 2-3 days. During this period, fever usually rises, headache worries, weakness, decreased appetite and dry cough are observed. The disease at the initial stage can be confused with a cold. Even a doctor during this period can only suspect measles, but he will be able to make an accurate diagnosis only after the appearance of a rash in the patient.
— Disinfection was carried out in the buildings of higher educational institutions, students were transferred to distance learning. To what extent are these measures sufficient to prevent the spread?
— Disinfection for measles as such is not carried out, as the virus is extremely unstable outside the human body. Only children's institutions and crowded places are processed. But this measure is rather symbolic. To prevent new cases of infection, separation for 17 days is enough, and nothing new needs to be invented.
Scientists in the last century came to the conclusion that in order to get rid of measles forever in all countries, it is necessary to quarantine the inhabitants of the globe for 21 days.
"Getting measles is better in childhood"
— In 2022, according to the Children's Scientific and Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases of the FMBA, 102 cases of measles were registered in Russia. In 2023, the incidence exceeded 10,000 people and set a 30-year record. In January 2024, about a thousand cases of measles were detected in 46 regions. Rospotrebnadzor attributed the increase in measles cases to the "traditional cyclical period." Do you agree with the position of the supervisory service?
— If the work on vaccination of the population was carried out at the proper level and all visitors were vaccinated against measles, there would be no cyclicity. It is the insufficient immunization coverage of Russians that leads to new cases of the disease in the country.
If 95-97% of people are vaccinated against measles, outbreaks of the disease will stop.
— Since the beginning of 2025, an outbreak of measles has been registered in the United States, although the disease was declared eliminated there in 2000. What are the reasons?
— In my opinion, this is due to the fact that after the announcement of the elimination of measles, they stopped vaccinating massively against it. And unvaccinated migrants, at the expense of the population without an immune layer, brought the disease back to America.
In the meantime, for all the time of its existence, humanity has defeated one disease — smallpox, and precisely through vaccination around the world. The last case of the disease was registered in 1979, and since then it has not been recorded anywhere else.
— This year, the first measles-related deaths in the last decade have been reported in the United States. What does this mean?
— It is difficult to judge unequivocally. Most likely, unvaccinated adults died. In this case, it can be assumed that they had measles with serious complications, including encephalitis. This is natural, since childhood infections, including measles, are difficult for adults.
If you get measles, then ideally in childhood.
— The main measure of measles prevention is vaccination. What can be the solution to the problem when outbreaks occur among unvaccinated migrants or in religious communities where vaccination is not accepted?
— No normal religion has ever refused vaccination. It is not written anywhere that you need to avoid it. In any religion, a person's life comes first. There are also many "anti—vaxxers" in the country who oppose vaccinations. Their judgments about the dangers of vaccines are not supported by scientific information, so it is very important to educate about the need for immunization.
Migrants must be vaccinated upon arrival in Russia. Some of them are now providing a certificate of immunization at their place of work, but it is important to double-check it, as the document may turn out to be fictitious.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
