Measles

A Guide for Parents and Educators

Paul Books
Epidemiology
2/16/2015

Agent Attributes
Measles is an acute viral
infectious respiratory disease
thats spread primarily via
coughing and sneezing
Is recognizable by its well-known
rash, which spreads to cover most of
the body
Also called rubeola
Caused by morbillivirus
Is the most deadly of all childhood
rash/fever illnesses
(History of Vaccines, 2015)

History of Measles
References to measles can be found from as early as the
7th century.
The disease was described by the Persian physician
Rhazes in the 10th century as more dreaded than
smallpox
In 1846, Peter Panum described the incubation period of
measles and lifelong immunity after recovery from the
disease.
(History of Vaccines, 2015)

History of Measles Contd

Enders and Peebles isolated the

virus in human and monkey kidney
tissue culture in 1954.

The first live attenuated vaccine was

licensed for use in the United States
in 1963
Before a vaccine was available,
infection with measles virus was
nearly universal during childhood,
and more than 90% of persons were
immune by age 15 years
(History of Vaccines, 2015)

Symptoms of Measles
Begins with a fever that lasts for a
couple of days, followed by a
cough, runny nose, and
conjunctivitis
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 5 days, the rash fades
the same order in which it appeared
(Measles- Q&A about Disease and Vaccine, 2015)

Characteristics of Measles
There is no national law
against drinking milk
obtained directly from a cow,
but the FDA banned the
interstate sale of raw milk in
the 1980s
Currently, about half of all
states prohibit the sale of
raw milk for human
consumption

Images of Measles in Children

There is no national law

against drinking milk
obtained directly from a cow,
but the FDA banned the
interstate sale of raw milk in
the 1980s
Currently, about half of all
states prohibit the sale of
raw milk for human
consumption

Transmission

Measles is highly contagious

on average, 90% of those exposed to someone with

the measles will get the disease themselves unless
theyve been vaccinated, or had measles before

It is spread by coughing and sneezing, close

personal contact or direct contact with infected nasal
or throat secretions
Infected people are usually contagious from about 4
days before their rash starts to 4 days afterwards
(History of Vaccines, 2015)

Environmental Factors
Measles virus is rapidly inactivated by heat, light, acidic
pH, ether, and trypsin.
It has a short survival time (less than 2 hours) in the air
or on objects and surfaces.
Occurs most often in the late winter and spring.

(Measles-Q&A about Disease and Vaccine, 2015)

Host Attributes
Measles is a human disease and is not known to occur in
animals
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 2 hours
Although measles has no treatment or cure, most people who
catch it do survive the infection
However, the majority of measles patients will feel extremely sick for
approximately one week, and up to 30% will suffer some sort of
complication to the disease
(History of Vaccines, 2015)

Seriousness of Measles

Measles can be dangerous, especially for

babies and young children.
From 2001-2013, 28% of children younger
than 5 years old who had measles had to
be treated in the hospital.

In some areas of the world without

widespread access to medical care, up to 5%
of children die of the measles.

For some children, measles can lead to:

Pneumonia
Lifelong brain damage
Deafness
Death
(Vaccines.gov, 2015)

Seriousness of Measles Contd

Death from measles was reported in approximately 0.2% of the

cases in the United States from 1985 through 1992.
As with other complications of measles, the risk of death is
higher among young children and adults.
Pneumonia accounts for about 60% of deaths.
The most common causes of death are pneumonia in children
and acute encephalitis in adults.
Since 1995, an average of 1 measles-related death per year
has been reported.
(Vaccines.gov, 2015)

Prevention
Routine measles vaccination for children, combined with
mass immunization campaigns in countries with high case
and death rates, are key public health strategies to reduce
global measles deaths

The measles vaccine has been in use for 50 years.

It is safe, effective and inexpensive.
It costs approximately one US dollar to immunize a child
against measles.

In 2013, about 84% of the world's children received 1 dose

of measles vaccine by their first birthday up from 73% in
2000

Two doses of the vaccine are recommended to ensure

immunity and prevent outbreaks, as about 15% of vaccinated
children fail to develop immunity from the first dose.
(WHO, 2015)

The MMR Vaccine

The MMR Vaccine

The MMR vaccine prevents measles and 2 other viral
diseasesmumps and rubella
MMR is an attenuated live virus vaccine

More than 95% of the people who receive a single dose of

MMR will develop immunity to all 3 viruses
A second vaccine dose gives immunity to almost all of those
who did not respond to the first dose.

In the United States, two doses are recommended for

children:
The first dose at 1215 months of age
The second dose before entering school, at 46 years of
age(4)
(Measles-Q&A about Disease and Vaccine, 2015)

Vaccination for Control of Measles

In the decade before the measles vaccination program
began in 1963
An estimated 34 million persons in the United States were
infected each year, of whom 400500 died, 48,000 were
hospitalized, and another 1,000 developed chronic disability
from measles encephalitis.

Widespread use of measles vaccine has led to a

greater than 99% reduction in measles cases in the
United States compared with the pre-vaccine era
During 2000-2013, measles vaccination prevented an
estimated 15.6 million deaths making measles vaccine
one of the best buys in public health.
(Measles-Q&A about Disease and Vaccine, 2015)

Statistical Data for Measles in the U.S.

The United States experienced a record number of measles
cases during 2014, with 644 cases from 27 states reported to
CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory
Diseases (NCIRD)
This is the greatest number of cases since measles
elimination was documented in the U.S. in 2000
(Measles Cases and Outbreaks, 2015)

From January 1 to February

6, 2015,
121 people from 17 states
and Washington DC were
reported to have measles
Centers(Measles
for Disease
Control and
Cases and Outbreaks, 2015)and Outbreaks,
2015)
Prevention

Reasons for Increase in U.S. Cases

2015: The United States is
currently experiencing a large,
multi-state measles outbreak
linked to Disneyland in California

2014: The U.S. experienced 23

measles outbreaks, including one
large outbreak of 383 cases,
primarily among unvaccinated
Amish communities in Ohio.
Many of cases in 2014 were
associated with cases brought
in from the Philippines, which
experienced a large measles
outbreak.
(Measles Cases and Outbreaks, 2015)

Statistical Data for Measles

Worldwide

Measles is still common in many parts of the world including

some countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa.

Measles is often a fatal disease in developing countries.

The virus is highly contagious and can spread rapidly in areas

where vaccination is not widespread.

The World Health Organization estimates there were 164,000

deaths globally from measles in 2008.
(WHO, 2015)

Statistical Data for Measles

Worldwide Contd
Measles is one of the leading causes of death among
young children even though a safe and cost-effective
vaccine is available
In 2013, there were 145 700 measles deaths globally
about 400 deaths every day or 16 deaths every hour.
Measles vaccination resulted in a 75% drop in measles
deaths between 2000 and 2013 worldwide.
(WHO, 2015)

 Measles is still common and an often fatal disease in.

World Health Organization

Response

By 2013, the global push to improve vaccine coverage

resulted in a 75% reduction in deaths
During 2013, about 205 million children were vaccinated
against measles during mass vaccination campaigns in
34 countries.
M&R Initiative was created a collaborative effort of WHO,
UNICEF, the American Red Cross, the CDC, and the
United Nations Foundation to support countries to
achieve measles and rubella control goals
(WHO,2015)

All World Health

Organization
Regions have now
established goals to
eliminate this
preventable killer
disease by 2020
(WHO,2015)

References
HistoryofVaccines.org. (2015, Feb 15). MeaslesTimelines. Retrieved from http://
www.historyofvaccines.org/content/timelines/measl
es
CDC.gov. (2015, Feb 14). Measles Cases and
Outbreaks. Retrieved from http://
www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
CDC.gov. (2015, Feb 14). Measles- Q&A about
Disease and Vaccine. Retrieved from http://
www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
Vaccines.gov. (2015, Feb 15). Measles. Retrieved
from http://www.vaccines.gov/diseases/measles/#
WHO.int. (2015, Feb 14). Measles. Retrieved from