Measles : Prevention, FAQ

by CDC

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Prevention

Children

The MMR vaccine is the safest protection you can give your child against measles. Children should be given the first dose of MMR vaccine soon after the first birthday (12 to 15 months of age). The second dose is recommended before the start of the kindergarten.

Teens

Students entering middle school, highschool, or college should have their vaccination records reviewed to make sure they have recieved both doses of the MMR vaccine.

Outbreaks continue to occur in high schools (one or two per year) and on college campuses (less than 1per year). These educational institutions are potential high-risk areas for measles transmission because of large concentrations of susceptible people. That is why the CDC recommends that all states require proof of either two doses of the measles vaccine or evidence of past measles infection at the time of college or other post-highschool entry.

Note: Pregnant women should not receive the MMR vaccine. Also, pregnancy should be avoided 1 month following the receipt of the measles vaccine and 3 months following the MMR vaccine.

Adults

Adults born after 1957 should receive at least one dose of measles vaccine unless they have already had measles and are immune. (This vaccine can also be given as measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine or measles rubella (MR) vaccine.) Those at increased risk of getting measles - college students, international travelers and health care workers - should receive two doses, provided they are given no less than 1 month apart.

Note: Pregnant women should not receive the MMR vaccine. Women should not become pregnant for 28 days following the receipt of the MMR vaccine or any of its components.

Travelers

People traveling outside of the United States are at increased risk of exposure to measles and should have evidence of measles immunity. This disease is quite common in many countries throughout the world. The CDC recommends that travelers who are not immune to measles receive two doses of the MMR vaccine for their own protection and to prevent importation of the measles virus into the U.S.

Measles Frequently Asked Questions

What is measles?

Measles is an infectious viral disease that occurs most often in the late winter and spring. It begins with a fever that lasts for a couple of days, followed by a cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis (pink eye). A rash starts on the face and upper neck, spreads down the back and trunk, then extends to the arms and hands, as well as the legs and feet. After about five days, the rash fades the same order it appeared.

How can I catch measles?

Measles is highly contagious. Infected people are usually contagious from about 4 days before their rash starts to 4 days afterwards. The measles virus resides in the mucus in the nose and throat of infected people. When they sneeze or cough, droplets spray into the air and the droplets remain active and contagious on infected surfaces for up to two hours.

How serious is the disease?

Measles itself is unpleasant, but the complications are dangerous. Six to 20 percent of the people who get the disease will get an ear infection, diarrhea, or even pneumonia. One out of 1000 people with measles will develop inflammation of the brain, and about one out of 1000 will die.

Why is vaccination necessary?

Before the measles vaccine became available, there were approximately 450,000 measles cases and an average of 450 measles-associated deaths were reported each year. Widespread use of measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99% reduction in measles cases in the U.S. compared with the pre-vaccine era.

However, measles is common in other countries where it spreads rapidly and can be easily brought into the U.S. If vaccinations were stopped, measles would return to pre-vaccine levels in the U.S. and hundreds of people would die from measles-related illnesses.

Is measles still a problem in the United States?

We still see measles among visitors to the U.S. and among U.S. travelers returning from other countries. The measles viruses these travelers bring into our country sometimes causes outbreaks. However, because most people in the U.S. have been vaccinated, these outbreaks are usually small.

Measles vaccination in the U.S. has decreased the number of cases to the lowest point ever reported. Widespread use of the measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99% reduction in measles compared with the pre-vaccine era when approximately 450,000 cases and 450 deaths were reported each year.

About the Author

www.cdc.gov
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the 13 major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is the principal agency in the United States government for protecting the health and safety of all Americans and for providing essential human services, especially for those people who are least able to help themselves.