What’s on the Horizon for Public Health

by Marcia Schroeder, RN Horizon Public Health 

There was a spike in measles cases in 1958. I was probably part of that spike. I remember mom taking my temperature frequently and that I had to stay in a darkened room to protect my eyes. (This practice was later found unnecessary.) Luckily for other children, the measles vaccine was licensed in 1963. To improve protection, two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine was recommended in 1989. The first dose at 12 months and the second dose between four and six years of age.

Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, thanks to the highly effective vaccination program. So why an article about this vaccine preventable disease now? Because, measles is still common in many parts of the world. Unvaccinated travelers, and sometimes foreign visitors, can carry measles into the U.S. Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is so contagious that up to 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people who have contact with an infected person will also get measles. You can get the disease just by being in a room where a person with measles has been, even up to two hours after that person has left.

Common measles symptoms include high fever (may spike to more than 104° F), cough, runny nose, red, watery eyes and rash of tiny, red spots that start at the head and spread to the rest of the body. Common complications of measles are ear infections and diarrhea; serious complications include pneumonia and swelling of the brain which could lead to brain damage. Children under five and adults older than 20 are more at risk for serious complications. Measles may cause pregnant women who have not had the MMR vaccine to give birth prematurely or have a low-birth-weight baby.

To summarize: Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases and anyone who is not vaccinated is at risk for the getting the disease. The best protection against measles is to receive two doses of the measles vaccine to ensure immunity and prevent outbreaks. To check your vaccination history, as well as find out what you or your family may be due for, contact your healthcare provider.

Visit https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/parents-top4.html for more information.