Measles

Measles Facts:

• Measles is one of the most contagious diseases that can lead to serious complications.
• Hospitalization. 
• About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles is hospitalized.
• Pneumonia. 
• As many as 1 out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.
• Encephalitis. 
• About 1 child out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain).
• Measles encephalitis is fatal in 10-15% of cases and can lead to convulsions and leave the child deaf or with intellectual disability.
• Death. 
• Nearly 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications.
• Complications during pregnancy. 
• If you are pregnant and have not had the MMR vaccine, measles may cause birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby.
• Long-term complications. Measles can cause long-term complications.
• Immune suppression. Immune amnesia is a serious consequence of measles infection that can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of other infections for several months to several years after the initial measles infection. 
• Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a very rare, but fatal disease of the central nervous system. It results from a measles virus infection acquired earlier in life and develops about 7-10 years after having measles. 

• 90% of individuals without immunity to measles will become ill after exposure to the virus.

• Measles can live for us to 2 hours in the air after an infected person leaves the area!

• There is a HIGHLY EFFECTIVE vaccine available to PREVENT measles and the serious complications that can be caused by measles!

Contact your HEALTHCARE PROVIDER or LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT if you have questions about your vaccine status or vaccine needs.

• Midland County Department of Public Health Immunizations Clinic
• Titers: We do not offer titers to determine status of immunity to disease. We encourage individuals to talk to their healthcare provider or call us if you have questions about vaccine recommendations.



When to suspect measles:

• The "3 Cs" of measles, a classic triad of symptoms, are cough, coryza (runny nose), and conjunctivitis (red, watery eyes), along with a high fever, precede the characteristic rash that appears 3-5 days after the beginning of the illness.
• The rash starts as small, flat, red spots (macules) on the face, behind the ears, and on the hairline and spreads rapidly downward over the body within 2-3 days, affecting the chest, back, arms, legs, and feet. 
• The rash lasts from 4-7 days.

If you suspect you have measles or have been in contact with someone that has measles, CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE GOING TO A MEDICAL FACILITY so protective measures can be put in place.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health Alert: Expanding Measles Outbreak in the United States and Guidance for the Upcoming Travel Season

CDC Measles Cases and Outbreaks

Planning to Travel?

Before any international travel (or travel to outbreak locations in Texas, New Mexico, Ontario, or Quebec):

• Teens and adults without evidence of immunity need 2 MMR doses (≥28 days apart) ≥2 weeks pre-travel.
• Infants aged 6–11 months need 1 MMR dose pre-travel. However, they will still need 2 more doses of MMR as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule at 12–15 months and at 4–6 years of age.
• Children aged ≥12 months need 2 MMR doses (≥28 days apart).