Health officials in Europe are advising soccer fans and players to get vaccinated for measles prior to attending the European Championships in Switzerland this June.  Hundreds of thousands of fans and tourists are expected to attend the championship event, which will be co-hosted with Austria.

Authorities made the announcement yesterday, following the infection of 420 people with measles in Switzerland this year.  

"We recommend that those who are not immunized, including the Swiss, get vaccinated," said Jean-Louis Zuercher, a spokesman with the Federal Office of Public Health, according to an Associated Press report.   He advised players and teams to check their vaccine status and get a shot if necessary.

At one time epidemic in Europe, measles has become extremely rare in recent times as a result of vaccination programs.

However, a re-emergence of Measles began two years ago and infected 1,081 people in 2007 after some parents refused to immunize their children out of concern for the vaccine’s side effects.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Dr. Peter Strebel told the Associated Press there is a risk the disease could spread to thousands of soccer fans and teams who will visit the country for the 15 international games taking place during the upcoming Euro 2008.

"There are some studies that have shown transmission in settings like that," Strebel said.

Switzerland is one of the world's richest and most developed nations, but has an alarmingly low immunization rate of only 86 percent.  France, Italy and Portugal, all sending teams and thousands of fans to the upcoming event, also have national immunization rates below the WHO recommendations.  
 
Strebel warned the risk of transmission is higher "when a lot of people, especially from different countries, come together and live in accommodation where they may be close to each other, as well as in locker rooms, dressing rooms and in stadiums."

The European soccer body UEFA, which is organizing the tournament, said it was "concerned about this measles epidemic with regard to players and other members of the national associations' delegations."  

In an e-mailed statement, the UEFA said they would advise team doctors at an upcoming meeting in Vienna next month that unvaccinated players and staff should be protected against the virus.

Zuercher said the same recommendations hold true for fans.  However, he said it would be unthinkable to prohibit soccer fans from entering Switzerland for lack of vaccination.

Symptoms of measles include high fever, coughing and red spots on the skin. Although the mortality rate is low in developed countries, it is higher in underdeveloped nations with poor health care.  The disease spreads easily can be easily transmitted from person to person through droplets emitted in sneezing or coughing.  However, a person becomes immune once they are either vaccinated or infected with the virus.

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