Measles, a highly contagious virus, is making a comeback. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that 102 cases of the measles in 14 states were diagnosed in January. The majority of these cases have been linked to a measles outbreak at an amusement park in California.
Although measles were eliminated in the United States in 2000, the CDC said that in 2014 the US experienced the greatest number of measles cases since being declared eliminated, with 644 cases in 27 states. The majority of these cases were in people who were not vaccinated.
“Vaccination is an important tool in preventing the spread of measles,” said Tammi Cox, MD, a local family medicine physician. “CDC research shows that one dose of the measles vaccine is about 93% effective at preventing measles if someone is exposed to the virus, and two doses are about 97% effective.”Measles is still common in other countries and travelers with measles continue to bring the virus into the US. An outbreak can occur when the disease reaches a community where groups of people are unvaccinated. To prevent the spread of measles, the CDC recommends that every child receive a first dose of the measles vaccination (MMR) after reaching the age of 12 months. A second dose is recommended for 4 to 6-year-olds. Vaccination is also recommended for adults who do not have evidence of immunity to the measles.
Photo courtesy James Gathany, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
