Amid an both in the US and abroad, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 18 encouraging clinicians to work with schools and educators to ensure children are up-to-date on their measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines. As of March 28, 97 measles cases had been in 18 US states this year. Most of the cases have been linked to international travel.
Full vaccination involves 2 doses of the MMR vaccine, with the first typically given when children are aged 12 to 15 months. However, children aged 6 to 11 months who will be traveling internationally should receive 1 dose before leaving.
Although the risk of broad transmission is low, measles is highly contagious, and 鈥減ockets of low coverage leave some communities at higher risk for outbreaks,鈥� the CDC noted. Clinicians should consider measles as a potential cause when children present with a fever and generalized rash of raised red bumps alongside a cough, runny nose, or conjunctivitis.
Published Online: April 12, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.5153