Experts Urge Vaccination as Measles Cases Rise

Bethesda, MD (March 5, 2024)—With measles cases on the rise across the US, experts at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) are urging the public to follow longstanding public health recommendations by making sure they are up to date on measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination.

As of February 2024, 41 measles cases have been reported in 16 states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington. By comparison, a total of 58 cases were reported in 2023. Measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, but cases still occur when international travelers who get measles overseas bring it into the US or as cases spread in US communities with pockets of unvaccinated people.

“Measles is highly contagious and can be very serious,” said NFID President Patricia (Patsy) A. Stinchfield, RN, MS, CPNP. “It can lead to severe complications including pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death.” About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the US who get measles will be hospitalized, and 1-3 out of every 1,000 people with measles will die, even with the best care.

Measles is so contagious that if an individual has measles, 9 out of 10 of their close contacts who are not immune will also become infected. Infected people can spread measles to others from 4 days before through 4 days after the rash appears. “Even one case of measles raises alarm bells because the disease is so contagious,” said NFID Director Kathleen H. Harriman, PhD, MPH, RN, who has supervised public health programs in Minnesota and California and has worked on many measles outbreaks over the years.

How To Prevent Measles

“The good news is that measles is easy to prevent with safe and effective vaccines,” said Stinchfield. “Getting 2 doses of MMR vaccine results in 97% protection, providing lifelong immunity.”

In the US, infants normally get their first measles vaccine between age 12-15 months followed by another dose at age 4-6 years. Anyone born in 1957 or later who has not been vaccinated or has not had measles should be vaccinated. “If you are not sure whether you were vaccinated,” Stinchfield said, “it is safe to get another measles vaccine, unless you are immunocompromised or pregnant. Talk with a healthcare professional to find out if you should get vaccinated.”

Infection control experts recommend that unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles should receive MMR vaccine within 72 hours of exposure. “Vaccination is highly effective in preventing measles if given in this window, which allows the person to return to work or school. If not vaccinated, the exposed person should stay home and avoid public settings for 21 days to prevent spreading the disease to others,” noted Stinchfield.

There are no specific antiviral drugs currently available to treat measles. Severe measles cases among children, including those who are hospitalized, may be treated with vitamin A, according to an NFID report on Vitamin A for the Management of Measles in the US.

NFID experts are available to talk about measles, the recent increase in cases in the US, the importance of measles vaccination as recommended, and treatment with vitamin A for severe cases.

About the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases

Founded in 1973, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating and engaging the public, communities, and healthcare professionals about infectious diseases across the lifespan. Visit www.nfid.org/measles for more information.

Contact: Diana Olson at dolson@nfid.org

Contagious Chronicles: Measles Alert