Q: My child was vaccinated for measles at 9 months. Now she is 10 and a half months old. She contracted measles recently. She also has chest infection for which antibiotics such as Cefolac and Maxtra have been given. How safe are these medicines? Why did my daughter developed measles in spite of getting vaccinated?

A:There are several illnesses in children with rash and fever, which can look like measles. Thus one needs a careful evaluation to determine if the illness that you state was actually measles or something else. The only confirmatory test would be determination of measles antibodies in the blood. The vaccination for measles at 9 months is about 95% effective; thus leaving a possibility in 5% children of getting this disease after vaccination if they are exposed to case(s) of measles. Without examining the child one cannot be certain if antibiotics are required. In general, this antibiotic is fairly effective, and mostly safe.