Outbreak of Measles in the US Nears 100 Cases

A measles outbreak in the United States is nearing 100 cases as it spreads into more densely populated regions, mainly affecting children and teenagers.

Initial Detection in Texas Sparks Widespread Concern

In late January, two schoolchildren in Gaines County, Texas, were hospitalized with the disease, which led to the initial detection of the highly contagious virus. Since then, the virus has spread to New Mexico and Georgia, raising concerns about undetected cases.

A list of current exposure sites in West Texas is available here.

At least 23 of the 93 confirmed cases have resulted in hospitalizations so far. Over 80 percent of the cases involve individuals under the age of 19, which has led to the closure of several private schools.

Health expert Rekha Lakshmanan believes this is only the beginning. She stated to Amy Maxmen at KFF Health News, “We are likely to see more kids getting infected, more families needing to take time off work, and more children in the hospital.”

People can spread measles even before symptoms appear, which include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, white spots in the mouth, and a red rash that typically develops three days after the first signs. In severe cases, this highly contagious virus can lead to complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain damage, and even death.

“Measles is a very contagious airborne disease spread through coughing and sneezing,” cautioned Dr. John Turner, Hays County Local Health Authority, in a public health warning. “Texas is currently dealing with the largest measles outbreak in decades.”

How Measles Spreads and Its Impact on the Immune System

The measles virus, Morbillivirus hominis, can linger in the air for several hours, allowing an infected person to spread it to an average of 18 others.

Once it enters a person’s respiratory system, the RNA targets immune cells, multiplying and spreading through the lymphatic system. The virus not only weakens the immune system but also erases the body’s defense memory, leaving individuals vulnerable to further infections.

This “memory loss” can last up to three years, making people more susceptible to secondary infections like pneumonia, which is the leading cause of death in children with measles.

Even after recovery, the infection can lead to a rare but deadly condition in the central nervous system called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, years later.

Global Surge in Measles Cases Due to Declining Vaccination Rates

Although there is no specific treatment for measles, vaccination campaigns have effectively controlled the spread of the disease for decades, leading to its official elimination in the U.S. by the early 2000s. Before the vaccine, around 48,000 hospitalizations and 500 deaths occurred each year due to measles.

Health experts have long warned that a decline in vaccination rates would result in larger measles outbreaks, a situation now playing out globally. Measles outbreaks in Europe surged 45 times between 2022 and 2023.

Most of the individuals affected in the current U.S. outbreak are unvaccinated. Gaines County, in particular, has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Texas, with nearly 20 percent of parents requesting vaccine exemptions for their children.

To combat the disease, health authorities in Texas are deploying mobile testing units at schools and setting up temporary vaccination clinics, while also facing increasing barriers to large-scale vaccination efforts.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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