Measles is spreading across the United States. The disease is highly contagious, and potentially fatal. Nationwide, the virus has infected more than 480 people this year. 14 percent of these cases have resulted in hospitalization, and two deaths have been reported.
Dr. Nicholas Van Sickels is an infectious disease specialist and medical director for Infection Prevention and Control at UK HealthCare. He said declining vaccine rates are responsible for the outbreak.
“Around 2000, we had stopped transmission of person-to-person cases in the US. We still had some people come in and might get it, maybe had gotten it somewhere else. We'd stopped it, and that was because of vaccination. Vaccination is the key reason we were able to cut that down,” said Dr. Van Sickels.
People who are pregnant, immune-compromised, or very young are at an increased risk of hospitalization. Data from the CDC shows 97 percent of this year’s cases involved people who were unvaccinated, or unknowing of their vaccination status.
Dr. Van Sickels added Kentuckians may have an easy way to check their vaccination status.
“If you grew up in Kentucky and you were vaccinated here, we have a Kentucky immunization registry. So, most healthcare facilities put in vaccines that were given across the state of, across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and your healthcare provider can check those for you,” said Dr. Van Sickels.
Symptoms of the virus include a runny nose, fever, chills, and rash. Experts said these symptoms often develop into severe ear infections, pneumonia, and a potential brain infection called encephalitis. More information regarding the measles virus is available online at the CDC’s website.