US measles cases on the rise

  • Published
  • By Omar Herrera
  • 341st Medical Operations Squadron
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Measles was officially declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, however, the virus is once again starting to spread rapidly throughout the U.S. 

Last year there were a total of 644 cases of measles reported, the highest number of reported cases in the last 14 years. 

There have already been 170 cases of measles from 17 states reported in the U.S. between Jan. 1 and Feb. 27, 2015.  The number of measles cases is increasing in the United States largely due to citizens opting out of giving themselves and their children the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.  This increase in the number of unvaccinated people coupled with travelers from parts of the world where measles in still common has put the U.S. on a trajectory to exceed our 2014 infection numbers by nearly 60 percent.

Measles is a highly-infectious airborne virus living in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person.  It can live on surfaces or in the air for hours after an infected person sneezes or coughs.  People can get measles if they breathe infected air or touch an infected surface and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known.  If one person has measles, up to 90 percent of unvaccinated people that get close to that person will become infected.

The most common signs and symptoms associated with measles are fever, cough, runny nose and pink eye lasting two to four days prior to a rash that typically appears in the hairline area then moves towards the center of the body.

It's been determined that of the cases seen this year, 55 percent of individuals that were diagnosed with measles were unvaccinated, 31 percent of the people who were infected had unknown vaccination status, and 12 percent were vaccinated.

The measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99 percent reduction in measles cases since first being introduced to the public in 1963.

The individuals who are not generally eligible for vaccination with MMR are children under the age of 12 months, and women who are currently pregnant.

Getting vaccinated is the only way to prevent this deadly disease from spreading onto individuals who aren't capable of protecting themselves.