Measles, also known as rubeola, has been documented as far back as the ninth century. By the 16th century, it was widespread worldwide. Scottish physician, Francis Home, used the blood of sick patients to prove that an infectious agent was causing the spread. In 1954, doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital were able to isolate the virus from an infected 11-year-old boy named David Edmonston. From his throat and blood culture isolates, the “Edmonston-B” strain vaccine was developed. This strain is still used as the basis for most of the live-attenuated vaccines today. In 1961, the vaccine was proven to be 100 percent effective, and within two years it was licensed for public use. In 1968, Dr. Maurice Hilleman passed the virus through chick embryos more than 40 times to weaken the viral strain and lessen the side effects. In 1971, it was combined with the mumps and rubella vaccines to create the MMR vaccine used today. A single measles vaccine is still available in some parts of the world. However, the three-virus combined vaccine is used exclusively in the United States.

Measles is one of the most contagious respiratory viruses. Humans are the virus’ only natural host. Nine out of ten people will become infected if they encounter the virus. It can live for up to two hours in the air after an infected person has left the area. There is a six- to 21-day incubation period. This means that once in contact with the virus, it can replicate and develop in your body for six to 21 days before you ever begin to show symptoms.

Symptoms include cough, congestion, fever, fatigue, body aches and red watery eyes. Some patients also report light sensitivity. Within two or three days of symptom onset, the patient usually develops white or blueish sores on the roof of the mouth or the inside of the cheek. These sores are called Koplik spots. There is a characteristic rash associated with measles that occurs about four to five days after the respiratory symptoms begin. This rash typically appears on the face and spreads downward and outward across the body. The palms of the hands and soles of the feet are spared. When pressed on, the rash will turn to the color of the skin and then return to pink/red when released. The fever usually peaks about two to three days after rash onset and can elevate above 104 degrees. The rash lasts about seven days and fades in the same order of onset. In all, the symptoms appear about seven to 14 days after the person is initially infected by the virus.

The contagious period is about five days before the appearance of the rash when many patients think they simply have an upper respiratory infection or common cold. Throughout the entirety of symptoms, the person is contagious and actively shedding the virus. The cough that measles brings can last for up to two weeks beyond infection.

It’s important to be immunized against measles as 1 in 4 people infected with measles will be hospitalized. A fever that persists beyond four days after the rash onset suggests a measles complication. About 30 percent of measles patients develop complications with 4 to 10 percent of cases being fatal. Pneumonia is the most common cause of death in children. One in 1,000 measles cases are associated with brain infections and swelling. These complications can present as fever, stiff neck, vomiting, drowsiness, convulsions and coma. Other complications include heart inflammation and even blindness.

The most serious complication associated with natural measles infection is called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). This is a fatal and progressive nervous system disease that occurs seven to 10 years after infection. Getting immunized prevents this and other complications.

In 1998, a fraudulent research paper was published in the Lancet, citing a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. The author of this article was found to be guilty of misconduct, and the article was retracted. The physician-author had his medical license revoked and is forbidden to practice medicine ever again. Unfortunately, this fraudulent article led to an extensive drop in vaccine rates in this country and around the world.

In 2000, the CDC declared measles eradicated from the United States. However, because vaccine rates fell, the incidence of reported measles in this country has increased again.

In order for everyone to be protected from the measles, the vaccine rate needs to be at 95 percent of the population. Today for children, the vaccination rate is 81 percent with the first dose of the MMR and 71 percent of children with the second dose. These are the lowest global coverage rates in almost 20 years. In order to create full immunity, two doses of the measles vaccine are needed. Prevention rates are as high as 97 percent effectiveness after the second dose. The first dose is given between 12 to 15 months of age, and the second dose is given between 4 and 6 years of age. Low vaccination rates leave our population vulnerable to large measles outbreaks in the future. It’s worth it to get vaccinated for measles. Not only for your own health, but for the health of others.