A recent measles outbreak in Alabama helps to illustrated why these diseases, until they are globally eradicated, are still a threat. According to the CDC, 'Measles remains a common disease in many countries of the world, including some developed countries in Europe and Asia.'
In this outbreak, an infant who had recently returned from the Philippines, where measles cases have been increasing in recent years, exposed on young unimmunized children in a daycare. Altogether, 10 other children and 2 adults developed measles from this exposure.
All of the children were under 12 months old, and so were therefore too young to get their first MMR vaccine and get protection. Because of the high rate of MMR vaccination among their contacts though, including 679 people, no one else got measles. Of the two adults who became infected, one had been immunized and the other had not ever received an MMR vaccine.
In today's global society, it is easy to see how easily these diseases can be introduced back into the United States, and it helps to illustrate the importance of keeping your children's immunizations current.
It also shows how important it is that measles should be included in the 'differential diagnoses for febrile rash illnesses in infants, particularly among those with recent travel to endemic areas.'
