Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:
Measles Vaccination
Pronounced (MEE-zills)
Measles is the most deadly of all childhood rash/fever illnesses. The disease spreads very easily, so it is important to protect against infection. To prevent measles, children (and some adults) should be vaccinated with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of this vaccine are needed for complete protection. Children should be given the first dose of MMR vaccine at 12 to 15 months of age. The second dose can be given 4 weeks later, but is usually given before the start of kindergarten at 4 to 6 years of age.
What You Should Know:
For Health Professionals:
For the Media:
Measles Advisory— Measles is a highly infectious disease that can result in severe, sometimes permanent, complications. The disease is no longer common in the United States, but it remains widespread in most countries of the world. Recent outbreaks in the United States highlight the ongoing risk of measles importations from other countries by people who travel. These outbreaks also highlight the impact vaccination has in preventing measles. As the new school year begins, parents should consider the importance of vaccination in protecting their children, themselves, and others against this highly contagious disease. Further information regarding recent U.S. measles outbreaks is available in an April 2008 CDC Health Advisory and in an August 2008 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Update: Measles — United States, January–July 2008. UPDATED AUGUST 22
What You Should Know
- Brief description
Symptoms, treatment, transmission, etc. - Questions and Answers UPDATED August 21
- About measles and measles vaccination
(.pdf, 34 KB, 2 pages)
Parent's Guide to Childhood Immunization (screen-reader version)
(.rtf, 29 KB, 2 pages) - Pictures of Measles
Warning: Some of these photos are quite graphic. - Travelers information
Information and updates on risks for travelers, precautions, prevention, etc. - Global measles disease
Goals and global elimination
Measles can be prevented by the combination vaccine: MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella). In 2005, a combination MMRV (measles-mumps-rubella-varicella) vaccine was licensed.
- As an adult, do I need this vaccine?
(19 years and older) - Measles - Recommendations for Prevention Updated July 2008
- Side Effects
- Precautions, side-effects, and combination vaccines (.pdf, 78 KB, 3 pages)
Parents Guide to Immunizations (screen-reader version)
(.doc, 117 KB, 28 pages) - Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
- Ask the Experts: Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (exit)
Immunization Action Coalition - Questions and Answers about Measles, the vaccines, and precautions
- School Vaccine Requirements
- History of the MMR vaccine (exit)
National Network for Immunization Information - Decision
Aid: Considering MMR vaccination for your child? (exit)
An aid developed in Australia
Autism Theory
- MMR vaccine and autism theory
- Does
MMR vaccine cause autism? Examine the evidence (exit)
Immunization Action Coalition - Other scientists have not been able to reproduce
the results claimed by Dr Wakefield and his team
regarding measles virus (exit)
WHO statement on the use of MMR vaccine - Is there any
scientific evidence that proves a link between
autism & vaccines? (exit)
NIH, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - More... (exit)
As with all vaccines, there can be minor reactions, including pain and redness at the injection site, headache, fatigue or a vague feeling of discomfort.
- Are
vaccines safe? (exit)
FAQs on The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website - Multiple or combined vaccines and the immune system
- CDC's Vaccine Safety website
- Hot
Topics (exit)
Vaccine safety topics on The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website - Lessening the Pain of Vaccines (exit)
Techniques worth trying; on The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website
- What if we stopped vaccinating for this disease?
- Who should not be vaccinated with MMR vaccine?
- Pregnancy guidelines
For Health Professionals
Clinical
- Technical information
General description, incidence, complications and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) - MMR Clinical questions and answers
- Ask the Experts (exit)
CDC experts (medial officers, medical epidemiologists, etc.); on the Immunization Action Coalition website - NIPINFO Answers Your Questions about MMR
- Proper handling of MMR vaccine
Recommendations
- ACIP recommendations
- Measles official recommendations (exit)
Immunization Action Coalition - Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Recommendations (exit) Posted July 2008
- Standing Orders (exit)
Immunization Action Coalition - Contraindications
- ACIP - Vaccines for Children (VFC) Resolution
Precautions and use during outbreaks - Immunization of Healthcare Workers
References and Resources
- Related MMWR articles, links, and references
- More MMWRs on MMR
- Resources
- Pink Book's chapter on Measles
Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases textbook - Surveillance manual's chapter on Measles
Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases textbook - Global measles
- Travelers Health: Yellow Book
Provider Education
- Clinical education slide set
from the "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases" course - Podcasts
Materials for Patients
- Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
- Important facts for parents to know about the MMR vaccine (exit)
- Stories of people who suffered or died from vaccine-preventable diseases (exit)
- Measles: Questions and Answers (exit)
Ready-to-print versions of one of the CDC-reviewed Q&A material located on Immunization Action Coalition's website. Dated 2/07.
For the Media
- CDC Press Release:
Most U.S. Measles Cases Reported Since 1996 (Many Unvaccinated Because of Philosophical Beliefs)
Posted Aug 2008
- Audio Webcast (exit)
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Content last reviewed on August 21, 2008
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases