As measles outbreaks grow, doctors are on the lookout for rare but serious complications

As measles outbreaks grow, doctors are on the lookout for rare but serious complications

As measles outbreaks in Canada grow and spread between provinces, pediatricians are again recommending vaccinations while also bracing for serious complications, including a rare, long-term neurological disorder that can emerge six to 10 years after an initial measles infection.

Eexperts say vaccination rates not high enough to ‘extinguish’ virus as measles rate climbs in Alberta

Like any parent, Calgarian Nancy Yakibonge wants to keep her five-month-old daughter healthy. But the growing number of measles outbreaks has been threatening that goal. Yakibonge said she now has to limit her baby’s contact with people as the highly contagious virus spreads across the province.  While she isn’t too concerned about the outbreaks for now, she’s worried as case numbers continue to climb, causing even more problems down the road.  …

Measles outbreaks spark concern over rare ‘horrific’ neurological disorder

This story is part of CBC Health’s Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. Dr. Michelle Barton has been working at the heart of Ontario’s measles outbreak for months, trying to contain the damage the highly-infectious disease can wreak on children hospitalized with the virus.  Barton heads up the pediatric in…