Measles: What you need to know

The latest measles outbreak in West Texas, and now New Mexico, is causing alarm due to the number of cases and how quickly it’s spreading. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health alert.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that causes a high fever, rash, cough and red eyes. It can lead to life-threatening complications, like brain inflammation (encephalitis), pneumonia and in some cases, death. According to the CDC the outbreak has grown to 301 total confirmed cases within 15 states, including three in California (at the time of this writing). Two individuals have died – a child in Texas and an adult in New Mexico. This is especially alarming as Americans gear up for spring and summer break travel, giving more opportunities for the virus to spread.

“To get an outbreak of this size and so quickly, it makes us nervous for what could be coming up the rest of this year,” said pediatrician John Rodarte, MD, Huntington Health Physicians, on ABC7 Eyewitness News, Los Angeles. “The measles virus is so robust, an unvaccinated person can catch it two hours after an infected person leaves the room. It’s contagious and dangerous.”

Here’s a quick breakdown of what you need to know.

General information

• Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world; individuals can spread it for about eight days, including four days before the rash appears and four days after the rash has been present.
• It’s an airborne virus that hangs in the air for up to two hours and can land and live on surfaces for several hours; people can contract the virus from breathing in infectious droplets spread through coughing, sneezing or talking, or from exposing their mouth, nose or eyes to the virus after touching an infected surface.
• The groups with the highest risk for measles complications are children younger than 5, adults older than 20, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
• Although infections in vaccinated people can occur where high levels of measles are circulating, one dose provides 93% protection; two doses provide 97%–98% protection.
• If vaccination rates stay above 95% in a given area, cases typically remain low.

Prevention

• Doctors recommend that children get two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines – the first, at 12 months old, and the second, at 4–6 years old.
• Individuals born after 1957 and vaccinated before 1968 may need a booster shot to protect against measles.
• If you or someone you know are experiencing symptoms or were exposed, seek medical advice on diagnosis, treatment and preventing the spread to others.

For more information, watch the ABC7 Los Angeles news story that aired on March 11.