Several years ago, a measles epidemic left more than 700 people sick in the U.S. Young children were hardest hit in outbreaks across the country, from New York State’s Rockland County to California’s Los Angeles County. Michigan, New Jersey, Georgia and Maryland also saw large numbers of cases. In fact, in 2019 the US had more cases of measles than it had experienced in 20 years. Unfortunately, 2019 was not the end of measles outbreaks. Measles outbreaks are becoming a worldwide problem, and epidemiologists now expect more.
A Resurgence of Measles Around the Globe:
The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases met recently in Barcelona, Spain. At those meetings it was revealed that global measles cases have almost doubled over the last year from 170,000 cases in 2022 to over 320,000 cases in 2023. Health officials have counted actual cases to reach those numbers, but they estimate that the true incidence is in the millions. People with cases that are not severe may not seek health care and thus may not get counted.
Vaccination rates have been falling in many countries. Measles is not a benign infection. Young children may develop pneumonia, brain swelling and severe diarrhea. An infection can kill undernourished children.
The History of Measles in the US:
Most pediatricians thought that we had gotten measles under control. Childhood vaccinations had virtually eliminated this highly contagious viral infection. But vaccination reluctance may be contributing to a resurgence around the country.
The CDC reports 60 confirmed cases so far in 2024, which is more than throughout all of 2023. At last count, 17 states are reporting outbreaks, including Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota and New Jersey.
Other parts of the world are also experiencing large measles outbreaks. Europe and western Asia have been especially hard hit. Measles causes much more than fever and rash. When children are vulnerable, this viral infection can make them very sick. Occasionally, it is lethal.
Where in the World Are Measles Outbreaks Occurring?
In 2019, Brazil, India, Madagascar, the Philippines, Ukraine and Venezuela. Israel, France, Greece and Georgia had measles outbreaks. That means international travelers probably contribute to the virus spreading around the world. As a result, the CDC is encouraging Americans traveling overseas to bring their vaccinations up to date before they leave.
What Are the Symptoms of Measles?
Measles, also called rubeola, is caused by a virus that is highly contagious. It spreads through droplets from sneezes or coughs. Within ten days to two weeks of exposure, the patient notices a high fever, sore throat, runny nose, red, watery eyes, dry cough, headache and muscle pain. So far, it sounds a lot like the flu or a flu-like illness. However, two to three days later tiny white spots develop on reddened areas of the inner cheek. Doctors call them Koplik spots. In addition, there is the measles rash. It often starts on the chest, back and face, but the red spots frequently spread to other parts of the body.
Measles Complications:
Measles can be a serious infection at any age, but very young children may be especially susceptible to complications. In such youngsters, ear infections associated with measles can lead to permanent hearing impairment. The infection can also cause diarrhea in just under 10 percent of people who catch the virus. Some children (up to 5 percent) with measles come down with pneumonia as a consequence. Even more alarming, one child in 1,000 will develop swelling of the brain in reaction to the infection or the high fever. This can trigger seizures. Worst of all, measles can kill kids. About one or two children in every thousand with the infection die as a result.
What Is the Future of Measles?
In 2000 some public health experts declared the US to be free of measles. Technically, that may still be correct, because the definition refers to measles cases that could not be linked to an infection from outside the country. However, if current measles outbreaks continue, it is likely that we will face more epidemics in the future.
