Microbe snapshots: Measles virus

Abstract

Measles, a highly infectious virus, previously eliminated from the Americas in 2000, has returned causing large outbreaks in the USA and Canada, largely in communities with low vaccination rates. Pregnant women, unvaccinated young children and the immunocompromised have the highest risk for severe complications, that include pneumonia, encephalitis and infrequently, death. As there is no treatment, management for the more frequent complications of dehydration and pneumonia require significant acute-care resources with airborne containment during the infectious phase. The current measles vaccine is safe and the only means available to maintain high levels of herd immunity to prevent transmission, until the goal of global elimination of measles is finally achieved.