Thread by @NightShiftMD

Measles. A thread. Measles is a highly infectious disease caused by the measles rubeola virus. 1/n

Canada had a recent outbreak in New Brunswick with more current outbreaks in Ontario and Quebec…and sporadic cases in other provinces. In 2025, as of Feb 26, Ontario had a total of 119 confirmed and 23 probable cases of measles. The worst there is far from over. 2/n
publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Docume…

In the US, as of March 6, 2025, a total of 222 measles cases were reported by 12 jurisdictions: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington. 3/n cdc.gov/measles/data-r…

Measles is scary highly communicable. It spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, sneezes or talks. You also get it by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus can persist in the air or on surfaces for up to 2 hours after a person who is infected has left the space. 4/n

Prodrome symptoms are fever, malaise, cough, runny nose and conjunctivitis or pink eye. Two to three days later comes white (Koplik) spots on the inside of the mouth. Next comes the somewhat painful red bumpy rash that starts on the head behind the ears and extend to the rest of the body. 5/n

People with confirmed measles are infectious from 4 days before the rash to 4 days after the rash appears. 6/n

People who recover from measles have lifelong immunity to the disease.7/n

There is no viral antibiotic 'cure' for measles. The MMR vaccine (which protects against measles, mumps and rubella) prevents the disease. One dose gets you on average 90 percent protected; 2xdoses gets you over 97 percent protected. It generally takes two weeks for the vaccine to provide immunity.8/n

MMR vaccine side effects include redness and soreness at the injection site, muscle aches and pains and low grade fever. MMR does NOT cause autism.9/n

Public health officials say you are protected from measles if you were born before 1957, and if you received two doses of the vaccine, or if you have testing that shows that you’re immune.10/n

You don’t need a booster if you’ve had two doses of the vaccine or if you had measles.11/n

People born after 1957 who have had only one dose of vaccine are generally encouraged to get a second dose of the vaccine especially if they plan on traveling to a high risk area or are working in a job in which they have a high risk of encountering people infected with measles.12/n

See your healthcare provider if you think you or a family member has measles. Warn your health provider that you’re coming so they can take precautions to protect other patients and staff.13/n

Serious complications from measles include heart problems, meningitis, encephalitis and death. Some complications may take years to develop. The only sure way to protect yourself and the ones you love is to get the vaccine.14/n