The study, which is published in the British medical journal The Lancet, estimates that the number of measles deaths fell from 873,000 in 1999 to 345,000 in 2005, due to increased immunization campaigns. The World Health Organization revealed that more than 360 million children aged 9 months to 15 years were vaccinated against measles during that period.
Measles, also known as rubeola, is a disease caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus and is one of the most infectious diseases that exist. In developed countries, most children are immunized against measles at the age of 18 months, generally as part of a three-part MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella).
The vaccination is generally not given earlier than this because children younger than 18 months usually retain anti-measles immunoglobulins (antibodies) transmitted from the mother during pregnancy. A "booster" vaccine is then given between the ages of four and five.
Though, not a prevalent disease in the West, the disease can kill as many as 30 percent of the children it infects in developing and underdeveloped countries. It targets children with weakened immune systems. According to AP reports, Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO's director-general said, "This is a historic victory for global public health."
Health authorities targeting to slash the measles mortality rates to almost half by 2005, discovered that they had exceeded that goal by 10 percent, with the best results achieved in Africa. The measles deaths fell by 75 percent on the continent.
This has also encouraged the health authorities to raise their target even higher, as they set a new goal of reducing measles deaths by 90 percent by 2010. If this target is achieved, health officials would look at the possibility of considering whether it might be possible to eradicate measles.
