Travelling to Tuscany & measles

[GMC]

We are planning to holiday in Tuscany for a week in October with our 6 month old who will not have been vaccinated against measles yet. I have heard about the measles epidemic/outbreak in Italy (mostly in the south) in Jan -May 2002 and am not unsure whether this effects Tuscany and therefore whether we should go or not.

Should we go or not ???? Does anybody have any relevant info/advice/similar experience to share (avoiding the MMR debate). Does anyone know if it is possible to get her vaccinated early (she turns 6 months the week before we are due to go)? Also any tips re holidaying in Italy - i.e. safety of water, mosquitos, heat etc.

Thanks a lot

Not been that far south in Italy with kids but we stayed near Genoa in June and dd got bitten to bits despite our best efforts with deterrent sprays. Take a net cover for the cot/pram (most travel cots have mesh sides anyway) especially at night and perhaps a plug-in deterrent. Doubt that there is really any more risk re: measles than in Britain but definitely worth looking into to put your mind at ease. Your gp should know.

Italians are really good with kids, welcome them in restaurants and where we stayed there were mini carousels for kids which opened at about 8pm, once the heat of the day had passed.

Have a great trip,

Not very wise to goive measles jab to a 6 month old as any maternal antibodies will prevent it working (and some people suggest cause more problems). Not sure whether its deemed safe or not otherwise.

If you had measles as a child your baby should be protected from measles for about 12 months anyway- possibly more if breastfeeding. If you were vaccinated then you may still have had antibodies to pass across which again will have provided protection.

looked up a few details for you. The situation is this:

If you didn't have measles as a child then you may not have passed on antibodies (as vaccine immunity wears off), and so your baby could be suscetible The earliest age I have found for MMR vaccine administration is 9months- in some areas os the states where there are common measles outbreaks. However because vaccinating at this age has a very high failure rate these children are revaccinated at 15 months.

If you did have measles (or if you didn't but were unvaccinated and exposed to it) as a child your baby will still have protection from your antibodies (this was true for ds2- his brother caught chikenpox and he didn't at 6 months- antibodies courtesy of me).

If your child did get measles- then the complication rate is higher in children under a year old. However a very effective treatment is vitamin A (proper vitamin A - not carotene) (in cod liver oil- they don't sell it as a seperate supplement as in high doses it is toxic- OK if you have measles though -ie short term use when ill.)

Anyway- hope this helps make up your mind.

Jimjams, you can't always rely on the maternal antibodies thing - my friend's baby had chickenpox at 4 weeks in spite of being fully breastfed from birth. Caught from his older brother.

Health visitor insisted it was milk spots/heat rash until it became completely obvious that it couldn't possibly be.

Tuscany is very very far away from the south of italy. Also, I think your chances of getting measles are higher in Britain. My understanding is that there isn't much point in getting the mmr before 1 year. Sooooo....go go go on holiday. Don't worry and enjoy. The italians are totally wonderful with children. Tuscany is great. And you can drink the water. It is very unlikely to be too hot in October. And I'd be surprised if you encountered many mosquitos in October. By the way, if you are staying in a town, bring a light umbrella stroller as those hills are hard work!

Sue W the maternal antibodies thing only works if the mum has the antibodies herself! I know I had chickenpox antibodies as although I didn't have chickenpox as a child I was exposed in pregnancy and therefore they tested me. That's why you can't rely on maternal antibodies if the mum has had a measles vaccine- as often immunity wanes.

Also the reason why pre 1955ish it was just anout unheard of for babies under a year to get measles as by adulthood every woman was immune (becuase mealses is so infectious and even if someone hadn't had measles they would certianly have come into contact with it and would have immunity). In 1990 and 1991 nearly 20% of measles occurred in children less than one year of age.

Measles antibodies tend to be a bit more robus than chickenpox. You do hear of people getting chickenpox once or twce, but not measles.

I'd still say that if GMC had measles as a child her dd should be protected at 6 months. If she didn't then who knows. The problem is giving measles vaccine if antibodies are present is farily widely seen as not being a great idea.

I suppose GMS could get an antibody titre to see if she has antibodies - and if she did she could then assume her dd has them.

Thanks I'm off to get myself tested for the antibodies ! Have also been told by the WHO that there have not been any reported cases of measles recently in the area and that this is not the season for measles so we should be safe - i.e. it's a winter disease.