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Measles, Mumps, And Rubella Vaccines(MMR): What You Need to Know
Measles, mumps, and rubella are serious diseases.
Measles
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Measles virus causes rash, cough, runny nose, eye irritation, and fever.
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It can lead to ear infection, pneumonia, seizures (jerking and staring),
brain damage, and death.
Mumps
- Mumps virus causes fever, headache, and swollen glands.
- May lead to deafness, meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal
cord covering), painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries, and, rarely,
death.
Rubella (German Measles)
- Rubella virus causes rash, mild fever, and arthritis (mostly in women).
- If a woman gets rubella while she is pregnant, she could have a miscarriage
or her baby could be born with serious birth defects.
Who should get MMR vaccine and when?
Children should get 2 doses of MMR vaccine:
- The first at 12-15 months of age.
- The second at 4-6 years of age.
These are the recommended ages. But children can get the second dose
at any age, as long as it is at least 28 days after the first dose.
Generally, anyone 18 years of age or older, who was born after 1956,
should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine, unless they can show that
they have had either the vaccines or the diseases.
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