[BlackbirdSST]

Viral infections increase susceptibility to bacterial infections. In addition, measles can damage or destroy the immune system, wiping out past immunity and leaving the person unable to mount proper immune responses during future infections or immunizations. Measles also causes deafness and blindness and can return several years later to cause an encephalitis that is invariably fatal. It’s a shame the kid wasn’t vaccinated. This death did not need to happen. And I have to say that I seriously do not understand the depth of belief in antivax nonsense that leads parents to conclude that even though they just lost a child to a disease that is 93% preventable with a vaccine, they still won’t protect their other kids against disease. Unbelievable.

Look y'all, the expert has chimed in!

[MD Expat in PA]

Look y'all, the expert has chimed in!

Well, unlike most of you, she actually is an expert in the field of infectious dieseaes.

FWIW, my older brother at 12 years old in late 1961, the year I was born, nearly died from a rare but not unheard-of complication of Mumps - Meningoencephalitis. Fell into a coma, veins collapsing, organs starting to shut down, Last Rites given. He lived and defied expectations that he might turn out a brain damaged vegetable but spent over 2 months in the hospital and getting therapy to learn to talk, walk, dress and feed himself again.

My parents, not wanting to go through that again, made sure I got all the vaccinations available when I was a kid. And I’m glad they did.