Unvaccinated kids cause worst level of measles infections in Scotland since 1994

MEASLES - UK (SCOTLAND)
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Source: The Scotsman newspaper, Tue 2 Jan 2007 [edited
http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=9642007&format=print


The number of people catching measles across Scotland has reached a
12-year high, according to latest National Health Service (NHS)
figures. Doctors believe there is a link between a low take-up of the
controversial MMR [measles-mumps-rubella] vaccine and the rise in
outbreaks of measles.

A total of 26 people caught measles in Scotland in 2006, the highest
number of infections recorded in any year since 1994 -- when the 2nd
dose of MMR vaccine was introduced. There was a cluster of measles
outbreaks in the Lothians [the district surrounding the capital
--Edinburgh] in 2006 but none in recent months. Take-up of the MMR
vaccine in south Edinburgh is the lowest in mainland Scotland with
one in 5 children still not being immunised by the time they are 6
years old. In the rest of the city, one child in 10 is not immunised.

Parents in Edinburgh have today been warned they risk causing measles
and mumps outbreaks. Dr Harry Burns, Scotland's chief medical
officer, said: "Outbreaks in Scotland in recent months have occurred
in communities where MMR uptake is low."

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