What to know about using Vitamin A to support measles recovery as Texas outbreak spreads

The CDC put out a statement on the measles outbreak and suggested that vitamin A could be used for supportive care. Is vitamin A effective for measles?

More than one month into a major measles outbreak in western Texas that has sickened 146 people and killed one school-age child, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its first public statement and it highlighted a therapy that has raised some eyebrows among infectious disease experts.

“Measles does not have a specific antiviral treatment,” read the statement, which was posted only on X on Thursday night. “Supportive care, including vitamin A administration under the direction of a physician, may be appropriate.”

Dr. Lara Johnson, a pediatrician and the chief medical officer at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, where measles patients from the current outbreak are being treated, didn’t comment on whether the hospital is using vitamin A.

“We can’t comment specifically about the care of our patients; however, our physicians have followed recommended treatment protocols for patients with measles,” Johnson said.

Vitamin A is involved in many functions in the body including vision, growth and immunity. For years, it’s been used for severe measles cases in children in developing countries, where vitamin deficiencies are common. In those cases, studies have found it can reduce complications and the risk of death, though it’s not seen as a cure for the disease. It’s also been recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization in children hospitalized with measles.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/vitamin-a-measles-virus-texas-cdc-what-know-rcna194288

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