Underestimated diseases

Measles - Mumps - Rubella

A misconception

Measles, mumps and rubella are typically thought of as harmless childhood diseases. That is not the case!

Serious, contagious diseases

These 3 diseases are serious, highly contagious and can lead to severe complications in both children and adults, including:

• pneumonia,
  
• encephalitis,
  
• blindness,
  
• diarrhoea,
  
• ear infections,
  
• congenital rubella syndrome (if a woman is infected by rubella in the early stages of pregnancy),
• death.

Vaccination schedule

Children

The MMRV vaccine is a combined vaccine offering protection against:

• measles,
• mumps,
• rubella,
• chickenpox.

Vaccination makes it possible to prevent these diseases and the associated complications. It is recommended that the vaccine be given at the age of 13 months, with a booster required between 15 and 23 months.

Adults born after 1980

Given the increasing number of measles cases, any adults born after 1980 who have not received 2 doses of the combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine are encouraged to get a booster. Adults who have not received any dose of the vaccine and have never had measles need to have 2 injections, 4 weeks apart.