It was a serious and in some cases potentially fatal disease in the United States for nearly two centuries. Thanks to vaccines, in the year 2000 measles was declared eliminated, meaning there wasn't a significant number of cases at the time.
But now, it’s back.
We’ve all heard of measles, but what do you actually know about it?
"Measles is a respiratory-driven virus that has been around for centuries. It's the most highly contagious human pathogen that we have," said Dr. Uldine Castel, Ventura County’s Public Health Officer.
"In 2000, the number of measles cases in the U.S. was 86. That was at a level that we could safely say that we have eradicated that disease from being endemic in our country...that it would appear in our country without someone (who was infected) traveling to our country," said Castel. "Unfortunately, the numbers started to increase after the year 2000 and they have slowly and steadily been increasing over time."
The latest numbers released by the Centers for Disease Control (as of March 6) show 222 confirmed cases in 12 states and territories.
Castel talked about what’s led to the spike.
"It's because of non-vaccination and it's also because of travel. So, in other countries where there is not much vaccination and not as much pediatric care, because it's such a highly contagious disease, it spreads quite fast to those people who do not have immunity."
Dr. Castel says measles spreads easily.
"It's not just having direct contact with the person that's sneezing or coughing," Castel explained. "It can also be a surface that a person has potentially infected. It's spread through respiratory droplets. Those droplets can actually persist (live) on a surface for a period of time. So, if you touch the infected surface an hour or two later and then you touch your mouth or your nose, you can get infected."
Symptoms include runny nose, fever, cough, white spots inside the mouth, and of course the telltale rash on the face and body. There is no treatment. You can treat the impacts, but not the virus directly.
There’s a highly effective vaccine that was created in the 1950s and later rolled into a shot which also prevents mumps and rubella. Kids typically get the first shot at around a year old and a booster at around ages 4 to 6. Most of us have had it.
If you were born before 1957, it’s believed you have herd immunity.
Castel said if you are concerned, or are traveling to parts of the world where there are measles outbreaks, check with your doctor. There’s a test you can take to check your immunity.
There have been five confirmed cases as of this week in California, including in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Could we see cases in the Tri-Counties?
"I am cautiously optimistic. I think we are a fairly well-covered community in Ventura County," said Castel. "But, we're a mobile world and everyone is traveling. I hope people are vaccinating the kids because they are the most vulnerable to this infection and it's such a preventable disease."
