Measles

Excerpt

Measles, or rubeola, is a preventable, highly contagious, acute febrile viral illness; this condition remains an important cause of global mortality and morbidity, particularly in Africa and Southeast Asia, and accounts for about 100,000 deaths annually despite the availability of an effective vaccine. Public health officials declared the elimination of measles from the United States (US) in 2000, marking the absence of continuous disease transmission for 1 year, and from the region of the Americas in 2016. However, outbreaks continue to occur through imported disease and transmission among unvaccinated groups of children in the community (see Image. Measles Infection). Since May 2025, 935 confirmed cases have been reported across multiple states (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]-Measles cases and outbreaks, 2025). Measles is a reportable disease in most nations, including the US.