Should you worry about measles outbreaks in the US?

An infectious diseases expert has answers for you about measles symptoms, prevention, and how concerning the latest numbers are.

It’s one of the most contagious viral diseases in the world—and outbreaks are popping up across the United States. More than 60 measles cases have been reported so far this year in 17 states, from Washington to Florida; that’s more than were confirmed in all of 2023.

The spike comes amid an ominous jump in global infections: last November, the World Health Organization reported an 18% increase in cases from 2021 to 2022, to 9 million, and a 43% jump in deaths, to 136,000.

Measles typically starts with a fever, cough, dripping nose, and conjunctivitis, before a rash—one of its most recognizable symptoms—spreads from the head down to the feet. Most people will recover without any long-term issues, but pregnant people and those under 20, particularly younger children, are especially vulnerable; around 20% of people who get the disease will be hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If one infected person coughs, sneezes, or breathes in a shared space, they’ll spread measles to 90% of the unvaccinated people around them.

Despite its threat, measles is highly preventable: for the past 20 years, high uptake of the two-stage measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine has effectively eliminated the disease in the United States.

So, why are so many states reporting cases this year?

“Measles can easily come to the United States by way of unvaccinated travelers, and measles cases have been increasing around the country,” according to a March CDC measles update. “This most commonly happens when people who live in the United States visit countries where there are measles outbreaks. Once someone gets measles and returns to America, measles can spread if people in their community aren’t up-to-date on their vaccinations.”

Before the measles vaccine eradicated the disease in the US, the CDC says there were three to four million cases—and hundreds of deaths—every year. The agency warns that it could become endemic again if vaccination levels tumble further.

Here, Boston University infectious diseases expert David Hamer explains how worried we should be about the latest rise in cases:

 

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