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:
What You Should Know
- Brief description Posted Sept 2009
Symptoms, transmission, complications, etc. - Questions and Answers Updated Aug 2008
- Recent outbreaks April 2011
- Measles: Unprotected Story
Parents tell true story of how measles sickened their child and impacted their family. - Pictures of Measles Updated Sept 2009
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 - Timeline of Measles Disease and Vaccine
Source: History of Vaccines - Measles basics
Fact sheet offers overview of Measles disease and vaccine risks and benefits
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.
- Vaccination Options for Preventing Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella
For Parents and caregivers: Fact Sheet and Q&As Posted Oct 2009 - Measles: Make Sure Your Child Is Fully Immunized
CDC feature story - Fact sheet: Measles disease and vaccines
- Measles Vaccination: Who Needs It?
- Measles - Recommendations for Prevention Updated Jul 2008
- Side-effects of MMR and MMRV vaccines
Excerpt from Vaccine Information Statement - Vaccine Information Statement (VIS): MMR and MMRV
- Questions and Answers about Measles, the vaccines, and precautions
- State Vaccine Requirements
- History of the MMR vaccine
National Network for Immunization Information
Autism Theory
- Do vaccines cause autism?
- Vaccines and Autism
National Network for Immunization Information - MMR vaccine does NOT cause autism: Examine the evidence
[PDF-71KB - 2 pages]
Immunization Action Coalition - Facts for Parents About Vaccine Safety
American Academy of Pediatrics - The determinations on serious professional misconduct and sanction in the cases of Dr Wakefield, Professor Walker-Smith and Professor Murch
Set forth by Great Britain’s General Medical Council, Posted May 2010 - Other scientists have not been able to reproduce
the results claimed by Dr Wakefield and his team
regarding measles virus
World Health Organization statement on the use of MMR vaccine - Is there any scientific evidence that proves a link between autism & vaccines?
NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
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.
- MMR Vaccine Safety Research and MMRV Vaccine Safety
- Multiple or combined vaccines and the immune system
- CDC's Vaccine Safety website
- Are vaccines safe?
FAQs on The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website - Lessening the Pain of Vaccines
Techniques worth trying; on The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website
- Who should not be vaccinated with MMR vaccine?
- Who should not be vaccinated with MMRV vaccine?
- Pregnancy guidelines
For Health Professionals
Clinical Information
- Ask the Experts
CDC experts (medial officers, medical epidemiologists, etc.) answer your questions on the Immunization Action Coalition website - Proper storage and handling of vaccines Updated Dec 2011
CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling guide includes shelf life, reconstitution instructions...
Vaccine Recommendations
- Vaccination Options for Preventing Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella
For Providers: Fact Sheet and Q&As Posted Oct 2009 - ACIP recommendations
- Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Recommendations [PDF-68KB, 1 page]
Technical content reviewed by CDC, Oct. 2009 - Standing Orders
Immunization Action Coalition - Contraindications
- Package inserts (M-M-R II, ProQuad, and more package inserts...)
- ACIP - Vaccines for Children (VFC) Resolution
Precautions and use during outbreaks - Immunization of Healthcare Workers
References and Resources
- Publications: MMWR articles, links, and references
- Vaccine Resources
- Pink Book's chapter on Measles (Updated April 2011)
Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, 12th Edition - Surveillance manual chapter on Measles [currently under revision]
Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases textbook - Global measles
- Travelers Health: Yellow Book
Provider Education
- Podcasts Updated Sept 2009
Materials for Patients
- Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
- Important facts for parents to know about the MMR vaccine [PDF-64KB, 1 page]
Source: The National Network for Immunization Information - Measles: Questions and Answers [PDF-99 KB, 4 pages]
CDC-reviewed Q&A material located on IAC's website - Sarampión - Las vacunas y las enfermedades que previenen (Spanish materials)
- More Spanish Resources Posted Sept 2009
For the Media
This symbol means you are leaving the CDC.gov Web site. For more information, please see CDC's Exit Notification and Disclaimer policy.
File Formats: All viewers, players, and plug-ins used on this site can be downloaded from the file formats page. (For example: Adobe Acrobat Reader for pdf files, Windows Media Player for audio and video files, PowerPoint Viewer for presentation slides, etc.)
Content last reviewed on September 1, 2009
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases