Measles: Prevention, treatment and what to do if you’re exposed

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 20, 2026) — More than two decades ago, measles — a highly contagious and potentially deadly childhood disease — was declared eliminated in the United States. However, the disease has started a resurgence in recent years. In 2025, the U.S. saw multiple measles outbreaks across the country, causing the death of a child in Texas.

With new confirmed cases in Kentucky, UKNow is republishing a health column and video interview with Nicholas Van Sickels, M.D., an infectious disease physician and medical director for UK HealthCare for Infection Prevention and Control. The video above was recorded in March 2025. While the discussion of specific outbreaks is dated, the information on prevention and treatment of measles remains the same.

Why are we seeing cases of measles more frequently?

Measles most commonly affects unvaccinated children and 20-40% of infected children require hospitalization. Ear infections, pneumonia, long-term neurologic issues and even death can occur. In general, most will recover, but some will have complications from the infection.

The sharp increase in cases is due to:

• A national and international decline in measles vaccination rates
• International travel to areas with active outbreaks
• The extreme contagiousness of the measles virus. On average, one infected person can infect nine to 10 other people, if unvaccinated.

In 2025, the U.S. recorded 2,242 measles cases, and 11% of those individuals were hospitalized, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows. More than half of the infected children under 5 years old were hospitalized.

Experts still consider measles to be eliminated in the U.S. but that could change if we don’t continue to take proper preventive measures.

How do I protect myself from measles?

Fortunately, measles is almost entirely preventable through vaccination for both children and adults.

• One dose of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 93% protective.
• Two doses — the recommended number — are 97% protective against the disease.

Because of the inherent contagiousness of measles, 95% or more of a population needs to be vaccinated for the entire population to be protected from an outbreak.

The CDC recently estimated that 90% of Kentucky’s kindergartners had been fully vaccinated against measles — lower than the national average of just under 93%.

Although news of measles spreading is alarming, it can also be a good opportunity to discuss the importance of measles vaccination with family and friends, especially those who are planning to travel internationally or to parts of the U.S. where a measles outbreak is active. The latest tracking of measles cases and more information about the disease can be found on the CDC’s measles webpage.

Is the measles (MMR) vaccine safe?

Yes, it is very safe.

The measles containing component of the MMR vaccine has been given in the U.S. for more than 50 years. It provides strong, lifelong protection against measles.

The MMR vaccine is a live, weakened vaccine, so you should check with your health care provider first if you are immunocompromised — such as if you are receiving cancer chemotherapy or recently completed chemotherapy, are an organ or bone marrow transplant recipient or take other medications which can affect your immune system.

Most people have mild, if any, side effects after the vaccine, which tend to be lower with second, or booster, doses of the vaccine.

The measles vaccine does not cause autism in children. This was confirmed most recently in a 2019 study of more than 600,000 children in Denmark. The original study suggesting the association of MMR vaccine and autism, published in 1998, was retracted as the data was falsified by the lead researcher.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Measles symptoms typically include:

• Fevers (can be very high)
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red eyes

Symptoms typically begin eight to 12 days after exposure. After the above symptoms, the characteristic red rash appears, starting from the head and spreading downward.

People with measles are thought to be contagious from about four days prior to developing the rash to four days after the onset of the rash (with the onset being day zero).

What to do if you think you’ve been exposed

If you’re concerned you or your child have been exposed to measles, contact your health care provider immediately. We recommend calling your provider ahead of the visit if you suspect measles so that they can take proper precautions to help prevent the spread of infection once you arrive. Measles is extremely contagious — the virus will linger in the air for hours after an infected person was in that space. Your health care provider can work with you to make sure other patients in the clinic are not at risk.

I’m unsure of my vaccination status. How do I know if I need the measles vaccine?

The easiest way is to check your childhood shot records. If you have two doses of MMR vaccine, you are considered protected, unless you were to undergo a stem cell transplant.

If you do not have access to your childhood shot records, here are some tips which can help:

• If you were born in the U.S. before 1957, you are generally considered immune as measles circulated widely during that time. If you work in health care or another setting where you could be exposed, check with your employee health program to see if you should have your levels (titers) checked.
• If you were born before 1968 and received the original measles vaccine (or are not sure), try to track down your childhood and adult shot records. If you did not receive at least one dose of MMR vaccine, you should speak with your health care provider about getting vaccinated.
• If you were born between 1968 and 1989, and received your childhood vaccines, you likely received one dose of MMR vaccine. You should talk with your provider about whether you need a second dose. People at high risk for complications from measles, those traveling to areas with outbreaks or who live in group settings, such as college students in dormitories, could benefit from a second dose.
• If you were born in the U.S. after 1989, and received your childhood vaccines, you should have received two doses of the MMR vaccine. If you can track your vaccine record down, it is always good to keep in a safe place if you need it.
• If you came to the U.S. after 1996 on an immigrant visa or have a green card, you were required to show proof of measles immunity.
• If you served in the U.S. military, you were required to show proof of immunity or be vaccinated.