JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Editor's Note: The 633rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron Public Health office contributed to this article.
The United States is currently experiencing a large, multi-state measles outbreak believed to have begun in California in December 2014, and has now spread to six additional states. Officials have reported more than 50 confirmed cases of measles linked to the original outbreak.
This wave of confirmed cases came after a record year of reported measles outbreaks in 2014. Last year, 644 cases from 27 states were reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which according to officials, 2014 marks the greatest outbreak since officials reported measles elimination in the U.S. in 2000.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease still common in many parts of the world, it is transmitted by lung droplets and airborne spread. Officials believe unvaccinated travelers who contract measles in other countries bring the disease back into the U.S.
Symptoms generally appear about seven to 14 days after infection, and initially includes high fever, sore throat, red and watery eyes, and runny nose followed by a distinct red rash. Severe complications associated with measles include pneumonia, hearing loss due to ear infection, brain swelling that could lead to deafness and mental retardation and death in every one or two children out of 1,000 diagnosed.
Officials said the best protection against measles is with the Measles-Mumps-Rubella, or MMR, vaccine.
The CDC encourages vaccinations for all ages and children are recommended to receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age and the second dose at four to six years old. Children can receive the second dose as early as 28 days after the first vaccination.
Also, the CDC encourages all school-aged children and adolescents to receive both MMR doses.
Although officials recommend children receive the vaccine, adults born before 1957 are generally considered immune to measles and mumps, but adults born in 1957 or later should have documentation of 1 or more doses of MMR vaccine unless they have a medical condition exempting them to the vaccine or laboratory evidence of immunity.
For more information, visit the following links.
· www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6322a4.htm
· www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html
· www.cdc.gov/measles/vaccination.html
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www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6350a9.html
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www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr6204a1.html